hidri complaint -- feds seek to claim watertown property where pot, counterfeit cash were found
DESCRIPTION
Federal court document shows how local police and federal agents tracked Connecticut-California drug connection via FedEx, forced themselves in with a battering ram, found an indoor marijuana farm and counterfeit money, and seek to claim the house and property under drug laws.TRANSCRIPT
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff,
v. Civil No.
ONE PARCEL OF PROPERTY LOCATED AT 59 HIGHMEADOW ROAD, WATERTOWN, CONNECTICUT, : WITH ALL APPURTENANCES AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON; $537,266.84 IN UNITED STATES CURRENCY,
Defendants. June 28, 2010
[CLAIMANTS: SHPETIM HIDRI; VETIM : HIDRI; JETON HIDRI; VALDRIN HIDRI; NEBIJE HIDRI]
VERIFIED COMPLAINT OF FORFEITURE
Now comes Plaintiff, United States of America, by and through its attorneys, David B.
Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and David X. Sullivan, Assistant
United States Attorney, and respectfully states that:
1. This is a civil action in rem brought pursuant to 21 U.S.C. § 881 (a)(7), for the
forfeiture of real property located at 59 Highmeadow Road, Watertown, Connecticut ("Defendant
Property") which was used or intended to be used in any manner or part to commit or to facilitate
the commission of a violation of the Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. §§ 801 et seq. and
pursuant to 21 U.S.C. § 881 (a)(6) for the forfeiture of Five Hundred Thirty-Seven Thousand
Two Hundred Sixty-Six Dollars Eighty-Four Cents ($537,266.84) ("Defendant Currency") which
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was derived from the proceeds of illegal narcotics activities and/or United States Currency which
represents actual proceeds of illegal narcotics activity in violation ofthe Controlled Substances
Act, 21 U.S.c. §§ 801 et seq.
2. This Court has jurisdiction over this matter by virtue of28 U.S.C. § 1345 and § 1355.
3. Venue in the District of Connecticut is appropriate pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1355 and §
1395.
4. The Defendant Property is one parcel of property located at 59 Highmeadow Road,
Watertown, Connecticut, with all appurtenances and improvements thereon.
5. The United States does not request authority from the Court to seize the Defendant
Property at this time. The United States will, as provided by 18 U.S.C. §§ 985(b)(1) and (c)(l):
(a) post notice of this action and a copy of the Complaint on the Defendant Property;
(b) serve notice of this action on the record owner of the Defendant Property, and any
other person or entity who may claim an interest in the Defendant Property, along
with a copy of this Verified Complaint of Forfeiture;
(c) execute a writ of entry for the purposes of conducting an inspection and inventory
of the property; and
(d) record a lis pendens on the Watertown Records ofthe Defendant Property's status
as a defendant in this in rem action.
6. The United States will also, as provided by 19 U.S.C. § 1606, appraise the
Defendant Property when it executes the Writ ofEntry.
7. The Defendant Property was acquired by Shpetim Hidri and Nebije Hidri from
Margaret Garassino, executrix of the estate of Raymond Garassino by Executor's Deed, recorded
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on August 17, 1995, at Volume 796, page 295 of the Watertown Land Records.
8. The appraised value of the Defendant Property is approximately $392,400.
9. In April of2010, law enforcement officers in Watertown, Connecticut received
information from law enforcement officers in Michigan that they uncovered an extensive
marijuana distribution ring that originates in California and has reached into Michigan and,
among other places, Watertown, Connecticut. Michigan officers told Watertown law
enforcement that a search and seizure warrant was executed on the residence of an individual
named Andrew Poag in San Francisco. Poag was described by Michigan officers as the ring
leader of a nationwide marijuana trafficking organization.
10. During the execution ofthe search warrant at Poag's residence, law enforcement
found approximately two pounds of marijuana packaged to ship and a Federal Express ("FedEx")
label addressed to Jason Schiffmiller of 161 Old Farms Road, Watertown, Connecticut.
Michigan officers told Watertown officers that Poag told them that Schiffmiller and an individual
know to them as "Vala" were actively involved in the trafficking organization. Watertown police
immediately recognized Schiffmiller's name and knew "Vala" to be an individual named Valdrin
Hidri of 59 Highmeadow Road in Watertown (the "Defendant Property"). Law enforcement has
arrested Schifmiller and Valdrin Hidri together in other cases over the last several years.
11. On April 30, 2010, Watertown officers conducted a trash pull from the curb at the
Defendant Property. Found in the garbage were several large empty FedEx boxes containing no
shipping labels and two larger FedEx boxes in which the smaller boxes had been shipped. The
larger boxes had shipping labels with a California return address. Also located in the trash pull
was an empty digital scale box.
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12. On May 1,2010, Watertown police were at a FedEx store investigating a
different drug related crime. At that time, a FedEx Operations Specialist at the store approached
the officers and informed them of suspicious activities going on at the FedEx store. The
Operations Specialist told police that on March 24, 2010, a store employee approached him with
a questionable package. The FedEx employee told the Operations Specialist that one individual
had been sending the same sized package to another person every Wednesday for months. The
package sent every Wednesday was addressed to Andrew Poag of 44 Santa Fe, San Francisco,
California. The individual sending the package every Wednesday, as represented on the airbill,
was Valdrin Hidri of 59 Highrneadow Road, Watertown, Connecticut.
13. The FedEx Operations Specialist told Watertown police that on March 24,2010,
he opened the questionable suspicious package that the employee had provided to him. Inside
the package the FedEx Operations Specialist found a three inch rectangular shaped object
wrapped in newspaper. He opened the wrapping at the comer of the object and observed a stack
of one hundred dollar and twenty dollar bills. He estimated the total amount to be approximately
$15,000. Security personnel at FedEx instructed the Operations Specialist to allow the package
to proceed but to report any more of its kind.
14. On May 12,2010, law enforcement officers executed a State of Connecticut
Search and Seizure Warrant on the Defendant Property. Arriving at the Defendant Property,
officers first attempted to place a telephone call to request that someone meet them at the front
door, but no one answered the call. Officers then noticed individuals moving within the
Defendant Property. After several knocks on the door, officers forced entry with a battering ram.
15. After entering the Defendant Property and announcing their presence, officers
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first located Jeton Hidri exiting his second floor bedroom. After a brief struggle, Jeton Hidri was
placed on the floor and handcuffed. Jeton then refused to stand up and was forcibly taken to his
feet and removed from the Defendant Property and placed in a law enforcement vehicle. He was
read his Miranda rights in the vehicle.
16. Officers next located Shpetim Hidri at the top of the front staircase and he was
handcuffed and secured without incident.
17. Officers then located Valdrin Hidri who was first observed running from his
bedroom to the garage and towards the basement. Valdrin ignored officers commands to stop
and resisted arrest. He was tasered and handcuffed.
18. Officers next located Vetim Hidri in his bedroom. Vetim ran at officers when
confronted and had to be physically placed on the ground to be handcuffed. Also located in
Vetim's room were his wife and three year old daughter.
19. All of the individuals, with the exception of Jeton Hidri who was in the police
vehicle, were seated in the kitchen and read their Miranda rights.
20. While securing the Defendant Property, officers discovered an indoor marijuana
grow in the basement that Valdrin was running towards. In the basement, police found indoor
grow lamps heating 49 marijuana plants. Also found were two scales, three plastic bottles of
Monkey Juice (a liquid plant fertilizer), vacuum seal bags, a white plastic bag which held two
plastic ziplock bags of marijuana, and a wood stove that held partially burnt, dried marijuana.
While law enforcement was discussing the marijuana grow found in the basement, Shpetim said
"I've told my boys to get rid of that stuff before."
21. Law enforcement continued their search of the Defendant Property. In Jeton
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Hidri's room, law enforcement located $9,300 in counterfeit one hundred dollar bills in the
nightstand drawer. Police also forcibly opened a safe in leton's room and found, among other
things, a digital scale. Also located in the room were a computer and printer that may have been
used to create the counterfeit currency.
22. In Valdrin Hidri's room, police found a small amount of marijuana in a white
paper fold located in a pair ofjeans, keys to a BMW and a Mercedes, which were later seized by
law enforcement. Officers found two vacuum sealers and a padded envelope from a California
address located in a shoe box.
23. In Vetim Hidri's bedroom, officers found a shotgun and ammunition, a plastic
bag with marijuana seeds, a ziplock bag containing marijuana, and a teeshirt rolled around
marijuana seeds.
24. Shpetim Hidri was arrested and charged with: Possession of Marijuana;
Possession of Marijuana with the Intent to Sell; Possession of Marijuana within 1500 feet of a
school; Operating a Drug Factory; Cultivating Marijuana; Risk ofInjury to a Minor; Possession
of Drug Paraphernalia; Forgery; and Illegal Cultivation Without a License.
25. Vetim Hidri was arrested and charged with: Possession of Marijuana; Possession
of Marijuana with the Intent to Sell; Possession of Marijuana within 1500 feet of a school;
Operating a Drug Factory; Cultivating Marijuana; Risk ofInjury to a Minor; Possession of Drug
Paraphernalia; Forgery; Illegal Cultivation Without a License; Interfering with a Search Warrant;
and Interfering with an Officer.
26. Valdrin Hidri was arrested and charged with: Possession of Marijuana;
Possession of Marijuana with the Intent to Sell; Possession of Marijuana within 1500 feet of a
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school; Operating a Drug Factory; Cultivating Marijuana; Risk ofInjury to a Minor; Possession
of Drug Paraphernalia; Forgery; Illegal Cultivation Without a License; Interfering with a Search
Warrant; and Interfering with an Officer.
27. Jeton Hidri was arrested and charged with: Possession ofMarijuana; Possession
of Marijuana with the Intent to Sell; Possession of Marijuana within 1500 feet of a school;
Operating a Drug Factory; Cultivating Marijuana; Risk of Injury to a Minor; Possession of Drug
Paraphernalia; Forgery; Illegal Cultivation Without a License; Interfering with a Search Warrant;
and Interfering with an Officer.
28. On June 3, 2010, Nebije Hidri, wife ofShpetim Hidri, surrendered to Watertown
Police to be processed on an active arrest warrant. She was read her rights and charged with:
Criminal Liability for Acts of Others regarding Possession of Marijuana; Possession of
Marijuana Within 1500 Feet of a School; and Forgery.
29. On May 12 and 13,2010, law enforcement executed Search and Seizure Warrants
on bank accounts in the name of: Shpetim Hidri; Vetim Hidri; Jeton Hidri; Valdrin Hidri; and
Nebije Hidri. Law enforcement utilized bank records found during the search of the Defendant
Property to prepare the warrants.
30. Law enforcement executed warrants on account number XXXXXX1050 at
Thomaston Savings Bank, account number XXXX40 at Greater Waterbury Healthcare Federal
Credit Union, account numbers XXXXXX8891, XXXX1693, XXXXXX1640, and
XXXXX6608 at Webster Bank, and account numbers XXXXXXXXXX0802 and
XXXXXXXXXXX2079 at Wachovia Bank all in the name of Shpetim Hidri. Law enforcement
seized $213,962.1 0 from Thomaston Savings Bank, $1,431.32 from Greater Waterbury
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Healthcare Federal Credit Union, $106,506.21 from Webster Bank, and $155,833.97 from
Wachovia Bank.
31. Law enforcement executed warrants on Webster Bank, Bank of America, and TD
Bank for accounts in the name of Vetim Hidri. Law enforcement seized $151.24 from Bank of
America. Due to threshold requirements the Government will not be forfeiting this currency.
32. Law enforcement executed a warrant on Webster Bank for accounts in the name
of Jeton Hidri. Law enforcement seized $270.04 from Webster Bank. Due to threshold
requirements, the Government will not be forfeiting this currency.
33. Law enforcement executed warrants on Watertown Federal Credit Union and
Wells Fargo for accounts in the name ofValdrin Hidri. Law enforcement seized $504.10 from
Wells Fargo. Due to threshold requirements, the Government will not be forfeiting this currency.
34. Law enforcement executed a warrant on account number XXXX7680 at CSE Federal
Credit Union in the name ofNebije Hidri. Law enforcement seized $59,533.24 from CSE
Federal Credit Union.
35. The total amount of currency seized by law enforcement was $537,266.84.
CONCLUSION
36. The Defendant, one parcel of property located at 59 Highmeadow Road, Watertown,
Connecticut, with all appurtenances and improvements thereon, is real property which was used
or intended to be used in any manner or part to commit or to facilitate the commission of a
violation of the Controlled Substances Act in violation of21 U.S.C. 801 et seq., and is therefore
subject to forfeiture to the United States pursuant to 21 U.S.C. § 881(a)(7).
WHEREFORE, the United States of America respectfully asserts that there is probable
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cause to believe that the Defendant Property is forfeitable to the United States pursuant to 21
U.S.C. § 881 (a)(7); and requests,
(a) that pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 985(b)(2), and 18 U.S.C. § 9830), which permits the
Court to "take any action to ... preserve the availability of the property subject to civil
forfeiture," the Court issue the proposed Writ of Entry attached to this Verified Complaint of
Forfeiture authorizing the United States Marshals Service, or its delegate, to enter the Defendant
Property, including any structures, on one or more occasions during the pendency ofthis in rem
forfeiture action:
(l) for the purpose of conducting an inspection and inventory and appraisal of the
Defendant Property, which inspection and inventory and appraisal may include
still and video photography;
(2) to be accompanied on any such occasion by any appraiser(s) selected by it to
appraise the condition and value of the Defendant Property pursuant to 19 U.S.C.
§ 1606;
(3) to be accompanied on any such occasion by any government or contract personnel
selected by it for the purpose of conducting an inventory of the Defendant
Property; and
(4) to be accompanied on any such occasion by any federal, state, or local law
enforcement officers selected by it to ensure the safety of any person acting under
the Writ of Entry;
(b) that the Court decree that the forfeiture of the Defendant, one parcel of property
located at 59 Highmeadow Road, Watertown, Connecticut, with all appurtenances and
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improvements thereon, to the United States under 21 U.S.C. § 881(a)(7) is confirmed, enforced,
and ordered;
37. And that the Defendant Currency totaling $537,266.84 in United States Currency
was derived from the proceeds of illegal narcotics activities and/or United States Currency which
represents actual proceeds of illegal narcotics activity, in violation of21 U.S.c. § 801 et seq.
WHEREFORE, the United States of America respectfully asserts that there is probable
cause to believe that the Defendant Currency is forfeitable to the United States pursuant to 21
U.S.C. § 881(a)(6) as described above and requests,
(a) that the Court decree that the forfeiture of the Defendant Currency totaling
$537,266.84, to the United States pursuant to 21 U.S.C. § 881(a)(6) is confirmed, enforced, and
ordered;
(b) that the Court award Plaintiff United States all other relief to which it is entitled,
including the costs of this action.
Respectfully submitted,
DAVID B. FEIN UNITED STATES ATTORNEY
J~~~F~DIVISION
~J;1:_EY _ DAVID X. SULLIVAN ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY P.O. BOX 1824 NEW HAVEN, CT 06508 (203) 821-3700 FEDERAL BAR # ct03793
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DECLARAnON
I am a Special Agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Department
of Justice, and the agent assigned the responsibility for this case.
I have read the contents of the foregoing Verified Complaint of Forfeiture and the
statements contained therein are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.
I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.
Executed on this 28'...... day of June, 2010.
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SCHEDULE A
All that certain piece or parcel of land with all of the improvements thereon, situated on the northwesterly side of Highmeadow Road, in the said Town of Watertown, known as Lot #54 as shown on a map entitled "FERN-WOODS SUBDIVISION PLAN, SECTION 9, Scale 1"=100' dated October 24, 1980" prepared by L.T. Scott-Smith Co., Surveyors, 33 Valentine Drive, Waterbury, CT, which map is on file in the Watertown Town Clerk's Office as Map #2260, bounded and described as follows:
Northeasterly 386.24 feet by Lot#55; Southeasterly 150.00 feet by Highmeadow Road; Southwesterly 433.63 feet by Lot #53; and Northerly 157.31 feet by land designated to be deeded to the Town of
Watertown, all as shown on said map.
SUBJECT TO:
1.) Right of Way and Easement - James B. White to The Connecticut Light and Power Company dated May 26, 1927 and recorded in Watertown Land Records, Volume 69, Page 122; and dated February 19, 1929 and recorded in Watertown Land Records, Volume 72, Page 286. MAY AFFECT SAID PREMISES.
2.) Right of Way and Easement - Edna L. Russin to The Connecticut Light and Power Company dated April 3, 1962 and recorded in Watertown Land Records, Volume 140, Page 236. MAY AFFECT SAID PRENIISES.
3.) Easement - Raymond L. Garassino to the Connecticut Light and Power Company dated March 25, 1977, recorded March 28, 1977 in Watertown Land Records, Volume 234, Page 18.
4,) Declaration of Covenants and Restrictions by Raymond L. Garassino including approval of plans and specifications dated January 17, 1986, recorded January 24, 1986 in Watertown Land Records, Volume 408, Pages 250-253. See approval of plans and specifications dated June 27, 1997, recorded in Watertown Land Records, Volume 858, Page 280.
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