FEDS USING DRUG LAWS TO SEIZE SOUTHERN N.H. PROPERTY

CONCORD, N.H. - A Windham man has become the latest target in a
series of federal drug forfeiture cases in southern New Hampshire.

Prosecutors this week filed a sealed complaint against Timothy
Bishop, attaching his home and several other properties, vehicles and
assets.

No criminal charges have been filed against Bishop. He has an
unlisted phone number and could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jean Weld said she could not comment on the
case but said, "all this stuff should be public within a matter of
weeks."

Previously, Weld had filed forfeiture claims in U.S. District Court
against several other Nashua area businessmen.

One complaint alleges the owner of Sharpshooter Billiards, Francis
Calaguiro of Nashua, was involved in cocaine dealing, video gambling
and money laundering through his business.

The complaint also says Rick Stoddard of Nashua was involved in drug
dealing on his own and with Calaguiro. According to the complaint,
undercover agents bought cocaine from Calaguiro several times.

Prosecutors have filed forfeiture claims against various properties,
including the business, Stoddard's and Calaguiro's homes, and
assorted vehicles and financial assets. However, Sharpshooter
Billiards remains open for business while the case is pending.

Another forfeiture case was unsealed this month, but the complaint
remains sealed, so no information is available about the government's
allegations. That case targeted Michael Gingras and Bruce Brouillard
of Nashua; Greg and Rebecca Wheeler of Litchfield, Douglas Cox of
Hampton; and Samuel Bellavance, address unknown. Weld declined to
comment whether prosecutors expect to file criminal charges against
any of them.

However, she noted prosecutors rarely pursue forfeitures without
bringing criminal charges, though federal law allows them to do so.

Forfeiture, she said, "basically allows us to tie the property up.
Otherwise, there wouldn't be anything left" by the time charges were
filed.

Federal law allows the government to seize any property used in drug
dealing, or property or assets bought with drug dealing proceeds.

The government can seize property without criminal charges and needs
to show only by a "preponderance of the evidence," a much lower legal
standard of proof than in criminal cases, that the property was
involved in drug dealing.

In Bishop's case, the government has filed claims against his home in
Windham, and what appear to be rental properties in Windham, and
Lowell and Chelmsford, Mass.

The government also filed claims on various bank and investment
accounts, as well as three cars, one pickup truck and two motorcycles.