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BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. (AP) — Officials in Mississippi have met with agents from the U.S. Justice Department regarding money missing from a city law enforcement fund.
The fund, often referred to by Bay St. Louis city officials as the "DOJ forfeiture fund," holds money seized during joint police operations by federal and local law enforcement agencies. Last year, it was discovered that money was missing from the fund.
The Sun-Herald reports (http://bit.ly/2hnuoWq ) that Thursday's meeting took place in Jackson.
Mayor Les Fillingame attended with three city council members, City Attorney Trent Favre, Hancock County Sheriff Ricky Adam and three DOJ agents. Adam attended the meeting because his office is overseeing the Bay St. Louis Police Department, since the suicide of police chief Mike DeNardo in September.
Council member Mike Favre said the DOJ told Bay St. Louis leaders it will likely direct the city to restore about $320,000 to the account. It's unclear whether the DOJ will then seize the money or allow the city to use it.
City leaders have long awaited an answer on whether the Bay will be penalized for the mishandling of the money.
"It was pretty simple," Mike Favre said of the meeting. "We've got to put the money back. They're going back and they'll discuss whether we get to keep the money once we put it back or if they're going to take it."
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Information from: The Sun Herald, http://www.sunherald.com
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