Police seized more than $16,000 from four men traveling through Wadesboro last week without filing charges against them, sparking an internal investigation before the money was returned on Friday.
Daniel Simmons and Michael Ward said they were traveling on U.S. 74 through Wadesboro with Quentin Locklear and Moehammed Abdel-aziz on Oct. 25 when a Wadesboro officer stopped their vehicle.
A police report completed by Patrolman Alex Sherwood describes the incident as “large amount of U.S. currency seized during drug investigation,” though no drugs were found and none of the four men were charged with a crime.
The men were told they were pulled over for a window tint violation, according to a written statement they provided to police and The Anson Record. Locklear and Abdel-aziz told an officer they legally carried concealed weapons and were subsequently searched, according to the statement signed by Simmons and Ward.
Simmons and Ward were then told to leave the car, though Simmons said he declined to be searched.
“I was then ask(ed) to step out of the car and was told to place my hands on the vehicle and searched,” Simmons said in the statement, which was written in first-person and was also signed by Ward. “I told the officer I don’t consent to any searches and the officer’s response was for me to shut the (expletive) up. I was then placed in handcuffs and my money was taken out of my pocket.”
Simmons then said he was placed in the back of a police car with the window rolled up until another officer later agreed to open the window.
The men said they were detained for three hours, but said when they asked why they were being held, officers declined to give a reason. While they were in custody, they said Ward’s vehicle was searched.
Simmons and Ward contend police did not have probable cause to search them or a valid reason to detain them.
“(There) was no crime committed and no reason to even search us,” Simmons wrote. “One officer said he thought he smelled marijuana, but clearly (saw) Moehammed smoking a cigarette when we were pulled over.”
The men alleged that although they were not charged with a crime, their combined $16,639 was confiscated and their repeated requests for evidence receipts were ignored.
“We were then told we were free to go and I ask(ed) how we were going to make it home with no money and was told to shut the (expletive) up and he was tired of arguing with me,” Simmons wrote.
Both Simmons and Ward said they want the department to investigate the officers’ conduct.
“The reason I am writing this because two officers on the Wadesboro Police Department were very unprofessional and violated our rights,” Simmons wrote.
The men said they believe the search was unlawful since they were detained for three hours, their money was taken without a search warrant and no evidence receipt was provided.
“Verbally harassed us and treated us like criminals, then our handcuffs were removed and we were told to leave without any tickets or any trace of the traffic stop,” Simmons wrote.
Simmons and Ward alleged that the officers declined to provide their names.
Simmons and Ward provided the first page of an incident report on the cash seizure they obtained from the Wadesboro Police Department. The report states they were pulled over at the WilcoHess on East Caswell Street/U.S. 74 at 6:33 p.m. Oct. 25.
Wadesboro Police Chief Thedis Spencer confirmed Tuesday that his department is looking into the complaint.
“Per your request for comment, several individuals came to the Wadesboro Police Department to make a formal complaint on a Wadesboro police officer,” he said via email. “It is the policy of the Wadesboro Police Department to investigate all complaints of alleged employee misconduct. The internal investigation is ongoing.”
Because police are investigating, Spencer said he could not name the officers involved and said it is too early in the investigation to say when results would be released.
Despite his complaints against the officers, Simmons said Spencer has been very professional.
“We were all pleased with the chief of police in Wadesboro and all he’s doing to resolve the matter,” Simmons said. “He’s kind.”
Simmons said all four complainants had their money returned when they visited the police station on Thursday. Spencer confirmed Friday that all seized money was returned.
Reach reporter Imari Scarbrough at 704-994-5471 and follow her on Twitter @ImariScarbrough.