FATHER SUBMITS PETITION IN SON'S COCAINE CASE

Says House Government Is Attempting To Seize Is His

The father of a man who has admitted being at the center of a
high-profile Springfield-area cocaine ring says a house the federal
government is trying to seize from the son actually is owned by the father.

Danny J. Sidener Sr. has filed a petition in federal court to try to
prove that he owns one of seven properties the federal government
contends belonged to his son, Danny J. Sidener Jr.

"He bought it in 2004, and it's been his house ever since and it has
nothing to do with his son," said Charles "Chip" Delano, the elder
Sidener's attorney.

In fact, in the petition, Delano wrote that Sidener's son "has never,
to the best of the Petitioner's knowledge, even been inside the premises."

The house is in the 2300 block of South 12th Street in Springfield.

The younger Sidener, 27, lived in the 900 block of West Waco Street
in Taylorville.

The following are the addresses of the properties the government
wants to take, in addition to the 12th Street residence the elder
Sidener says is his: 905 W. Waco St. and 816 W. Franklin St. in
Taylorville, and 610 S. Illinois St. and 2315, 2319 and 2323 S. Sixth
St. in Springfield.

The feds say the younger Sidener bought the homes with profits from
selling cocaine. The government will have to prove that in order to
seize the properties.

On Oct. 16, Danny Sidener Jr. pleaded guilty to conspiracy to
distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, distribution of 500
grams or more of cocaine, use of a telephone to facilitate a drug
offense and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

He faces a minimum of 15 years in prison when sentenced in February.

As part of the plea agreement, Sidener agreed to forfeit his interest
in all seven properties. He said they were bought with proceeds from
his crimes, though U.S. District Judge Jeanne Scott said at the time
she was aware that someone else might lay claim to the South 12th
Street property.

In the petition filed by Sidener Sr., he claims he was awarded money
from a worker's compensation claim in 2001. At the time, court
documents show, he had been employed by Circle B Insulators of
Indianapolis. He tripped over plywood while working and injured his
knee, among other problems.

The elder Sidener was awarded $75,000 as worker's compensation,
although a portion of that went to attorney's fees.

In 2004, title work filed in federal court states that Danny J.
Sidener Sr. paid $23,000 cash for the house on South 12th Street. He
says the money came from the worker's comp settlement.

Sharon Paul, spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office, said it is
not uncommon for assets to be seized or for others to get involved in
the cases.

"It's not unusual to have third parties file a claim and say that,
for whatever reason, they have an interest in the case," she said.

The federal government often seizes property or items in drug cases
that are believed to have been purchased with drug profits. The
government sells the property and uses the proceeds to pay for more
law enforcement efforts, according to the U.S. Department of Justice Web site.