SHERIFF'S OFFICE WILL FILE LAWSUIT TO KEEP $17,000

The Midland County Sheriff's Office will attempt to keep the $17,000 seized
early Saturday morning from a bus passenger traveling through Midland.

Midland County Sheriff Gary Painter said his office would attempt to retain
control of the money through the courts.

"We have to file a lawsuit," Painter said. "It will be filed in federal
court. Other people can lay claim to it."

Deputies from the Midland County Sheriff's Office seized the $17,000 at
about 3:45 a.m. in the 2500 block of Rankin Highway.

Although the individual was not arrested, deputies did take the money,
putting the individual back on the bus en route for El Paso.

Lt. Rory McKinney said deputies have been checking out bus stations for
quite some time to look for possible drug traffic.

"They've been working our buses on a regular basis," McKinney said.
"They'll just go through there and casually talk to them, and he (the
individual who had the money) became real nervous, and they asked for
consent (to search his person and his baggage)."

According to the Midland County Sheriff's office, the deputies interviewed
all passengers on the bus, and upon questioning of the man, he became uneasy.

"Deputies requested and received consent to search the (white male)," said
the Midland County Sheriff's office in a statement. "Deputies discovered in
the front area of the subject's pants, a clear bag containing $17,500 in
U.S. currency."

Officials said the subject told the deputies the money did not belong to
him, but it did belong to an individual in El Paso whom the subject did not
know.

McKinney said there would be no subsequent investigation of the individual
or the benefactor of the money.