New Jersey Keeps $656,890 in Seized Trucker Cash
A September settlement ends a forfeiture dispute over cash seized from a California truck driver convicted of money laundering.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Financial Crime
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New Jersey will keep $656,890 of $706,890 in cash state police seized from truck driver Troy Hodges, under a settlement approved by Judge Erick Fikry. Hodges receives $50,000 and waives any future claims against the state.
Why it matters
The settlement resolves a forfeiture case tied to a money laundering conviction without a jury trial. It shows how seized cash in New Jersey cases can be divided through out-of-court agreements.
Hodges pled guilty to money laundering-transportation and was sentenced in March to five years in state prison by Judge Mark Tarantino. The forfeiture dispute was resolved through the September out-of-court settlement in Burlington County Superior Court.
The players
New Jersey State Police
The state law enforcement agency that seized the cash during the Turnpike arrest and investigation.
Troy Hodges
A 43-year-old California truck driver from Compton who pled guilty to money laundering-transportation.
Judge Erick Fikry
The Burlington County Superior Court judge who accepted the settlement returning $50,000 to Hodges.
Judge Mark Tarantino
The judge who sentenced Hodges to five years in state prison in March.
The details
Hodges was arrested December 13, 2023, while driving a Freightliner on the New Jersey Turnpike, and consented to a search that uncovered cash in several places inside the truck cab. State police said they saw him take a duffel bag from another man at Independence Plaza in Hamilton Township.
Timeline
December 13, 2023: Hodges arrested while driving on the New Jersey Turnpike.
2024: Hodges indicted on three charges.
March: Hodges sentenced to five years in state prison.
September: Out-of-court settlement reached over the seized cash.
Legal Context
New Jersey's handling of seized currency through civil forfeiture proceedings governs how cash tied to criminal cases is divided between the state and defendants. This settlement shows that such disputes can be resolved by agreement rather than trial.
Residents of New Jersey benefit from knowing how seized cash in state cases is divided, since state forfeiture outcomes affect how public funds are accounted for. The case also shows that defendants may recover portions of seized property through settlement.
The takeaway
Seized property disputes in New Jersey can be resolved through negotiated settlements, which may return part of the funds while the state keeps the rest. Readers following forfeiture cases can track how such agreements are approved by the courts.
Further reading
Explore more Financial Crime coverage from New Jersey.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Burlingtoncountytimes.
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