U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt announced today (Thursday), that the Southern District of Iowa collected more than $5.6-million in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2013. Of that amount, nearly $4.1-million was collected in criminal actions and slightly more than $1.5-million was collected in civil actions. In addition, the Southern District of Iowa worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $4.1-million in civil cases pursued jointly with those offices.

Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the Justice Department collected approximately $8.1 billion in civil and criminal actions in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30th, 2013. The more than $8 billion in collections in FY 2013 represents nearly three times the appropriated $2.76 billion budget for the 94 U.S. Attorney’s offices and the main litigating divisions in that same period.

The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims’ Fund, which distributes the funds to state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

The U.S. Attorney’s office in the Southern District of Iowa, working with partner agencies and divisions, also collected more than $2.3-million in administrative and judicial asset forfeiture actions in FY 2013. Forfeited assets are deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund and are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes. $862,737 in forfeited assets was returned to victims during FY 2013, and $543,406 was equitably shared with state and local law enforcement agencies.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Dept. reports two recent arrests. This (Thursday) morning, 35-year old Joshua Robert Saunders (No town given), was arrested for Failure to Appear on a Driving While Barred order. He was taken into custody near the intersection of Highway 34 and 195th Street at around 3-a.m.  Bond was set at $2,000.

Wednesday afternoon, 33-year old Angela Danielle Neil, of Malvern, was arrested in Glenwood, for Violation of a Protection Order. Her bond was set at $300.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Republican Secretary of State Matt Schultz is running for U.S. Rep. Tom Latham’s House seat in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District. Schultz announced his campaign Thursday in Council Bluffs where he used to serve on the City Council.

Since he was elected secretary of state in 2010, Schultz has pushed for a state voter ID law and focused on combatting voter fraud. He recently came under scrutiny over whether his use of federal money for voter-fraud investigations is proper. Schultz is expected to be a formidable candidate for the seat that Latham unexpectedly decided to vacate at the end of his 10th term.

Last week, Republican David Young abandoned a U.S. Senate campaign to run for Latham’s seat. Democratic former state Sen. Staci Appel, of Ackworth, announced her candidacy last year.

The Adair County Board of Supervisors will receive additional requests for Fiscal Year 2015 funding during a Special Session that begins at 8:45-a.m., Friday. The Board will first hear a recommendation from the Compensation Board with regard to compensation for elected officials, and consider FY 2015 hourly wage increases for full- and part-time employees.

Beginning at 9-a.m., the Supervisors will hear FY 2015 funding requests from: The Southern Iowa Council of Governments (or, SICOG); The Connections Area Agency on Aging; DHS; Recorder’s Dept.; the Adair County Fair Board and Historical Society, and from the MATURA Community Action Agency.

The meeting will adjourn following a Budget Work Session.