TRAFFIC STOP NETS A HEAP OF CASH

The Kimble County Sheriff's Department has a reputation for sniffing out
large sums of cash.

On Monday, Sheriff Mike Chapman did it again.

And when the counting at Junction National Bank finally ended that evening,
a record had been established for currency seized by the department -
$2,241,555.

"It was exciting," said bank President Rob Spiller, who oversaw the
six-hour tally. "We've never seen that much before."

The excitement began when Chapman noticed that the driver of a pickup on
westbound Interstate 10 near Junction wasn't wearing a seat belt.

He decided to stop the pickup. The seat belt violation quickly became
secondary.

"I could smell an odor of burned marijuana emitting from the cab, and the
smell of fresh paint coming from the wheel wells," Chapman said. "I was
able to determine there was a false compartment the full length of the
(truck) bed."

An electronically controlled panel was opened to reveal 250 pounds of cash
wrapped in 139 clear plastic bundles, he said.

John A. Ware, 40, and John A. Ware Jr., 21, both of Machesny Park, Ill.,
were jailed on money laundering charges.

Chapman said the men, who said they were headed to El Paso, denied knowing
about the money.

Estimates on the dollar figure seized Monday began at around $500,000 - and
kept climbing - among the tellers and deputies gathered at the bank to
count it under a video camera's gaze.

"There was a lot of adrenaline rush from the law enforcement people," said
Lisa Sandlin, a bank clerk who helped count the money. "I was a little
nervous, because there was a lot of cash sitting on the table, but it was
very organized."

The amount exceeded the "cash-on-hand" limit set by the bank's insurer, so
the trove was transferred to another bank.

The department's highest previous seizure was $600,000.