The Challenge
The District Attorney’s Office seized approximately $360,000 in cash, luxury vehicles, and motorcycles following an investigation into sophisticated “roof-top” burglaries of jewelry stores. The prosecution moved for asset forfeiture, seeking to permanently keep the seized property for law enforcement use. The primary challenge was ensuring these funds were used to compensate victims rather than being absorbed by the District Attorney’s Office.
Our Strategy
We challenged the forfeiture proceedings by arguing that the seized assets should be prioritized for victim restitution. We presented a legal case demonstrating that the funds were essential to making the affected jewelry stores whole. Our strategic approach convinced the judge to deny the request to keep the full amount. Instead, the court ordered that a significant portion of the money be returned and earmarked for restitution, ensuring the funds were used to compensate the victims of the burglaries.
Media Coverage
The Result
ASSETS REDIRECTED FOR VICTIM RESTITUTION
Your Case Belongs at the Southwest Justice Center.
Your Defense Belongs Here.
If you were arrested in Temecula, Murrieta, Menifee, Wildomar, Lake Elsinore, Winchester, or French Valley, your future will likely be decided at the Southwest Justice Center (SWJC) on Auld Road. In these courtrooms, local knowledge is the ultimate advantage. Since 1999, Nic Cocis has been a weekly fixture in the SWJC, appearing before the same judges and negotiating with the same Riverside County prosecutors for over 25 years. We don’t just know the law — we know the specific nuances, procedural quirks, and judicial tendencies of the Southwest District. Whether you are facing a felony or a misdemeanor, you need a firm that treats the Southwest Justice Center as its home turf.
