Three claims filed for bag containing $165,000

[MaineDem]

BANGOR, Maine — Three parties are laying claim in federal court to $165,580 in cash that was discovered in a black bag that was found alongside of railroad tracks in northern Maine.

The bag of loot was found on Feb. 4, 2005, when workers aboard a train noticed it alongside tracks near the Van Buren-Grand Isle town line shortly after a snowmobile veered off the tracks in front of the train.

In a case in U.S. District Court in Bangor, an engineer and conductor on the train claim ownership of the cash.

But the U.S. attorney says the money belongs to the federal government because the cash came from drug trafficking and was transported illegally across the Canada-Maine border.

Further complicating matters, Allen Gagnon, 44, of Van Buren, claims the money is his. He said it represents his life savings and that he lost it while carrying it on his snowmobile to his sister´s house in Madawaska, where he planned to store it.

http://news.mainetoday.com/apwire/D8K41IL80-255.shtml

[DRoseDARs]

1. Simple DNA trace or fingerprinting might help settle this, depending on...

...how the bag was handled after it was found.

[high density]

2. Gagnon was going to store $165,580 in cash at a house?

And he was transporting it by snowmobile?

Umm...

[warrens]

4. Cheaper than a lottery ticket

Go for it, Gagnon.

[truthisfreedom]

3. i like the DNA idea.

[DRoseDARs]

5. Indeed. If any of the claimants handled the money, there'll be DNA...

...unless they did it in a clinically clean room in hermetically-sealed suits. Or their claim is bs. In the US' claim, they'd have to secure a DNA sample of their suspects to link to the money since it seems they (not the US) were "illegally transporting the money."

[catnhatnh]

6. 'Kay...a lot of you are from away, right???

Read the story....Google (world or map) the area. You're gonna find out that the area is fairly remote.Up here,in the winter months, travel by snowmobile can be equally, if not more convenient than automobile travel.Many snowmobile paths (and these maps are published by the state-here in NH the mileage of snowmobile trails at least rivals the state highway system) do use railroad easements-they parallel existing tracks using their right-of-way....So traveling between Van Buren and Madawaska by snowmobile is perfectly logical.Whether that was "his life savings" can be questioned.But a train crew saw something falling off the back of someone's snowmobile....

[high density]

8. Actually I live in Maine

I don't doubt that snowmobile is the best way to reach that house in the winter. I just think it's a really stupid transportation mode (and destination) for $165k.

[catnhatnh]

11. Yep....

The only question is-is there no chance this is true???

And Hi from Rochester....

[KansDem]

7. I suppose it's too late for a fourth claim...

:(

[quiet.american]

9. Lol. n/t

[left is right]

10. It's mine, I lost it

I swear I did. I was standing on the deck of the caboose holding the bag of money. I was taking it to my dear maiden aunt, who needed an operation. The train hit a bump and the bag went flying out of my hands. I can't tell you how glad I am that the money was found

[Az_lefty]

12. Holy Cow!!! Somebody found my bag of money...

I am more than willing to pay my fair share of taxes and make a large donation to the local sheriff's reelection fund if they will just mail it to the below address.

Pretty Blue Dumpster
Wal-Mart parking lot
Wilmont & Speedway
Tucson, Az 85649
Attn: Poorbrokeunemployedvetraninagreenjacket