An investigation into possible criminal misconduct by the Rockingham County District Attorney James Reams has implicated misuse of the Rockingham County Asset Forfeiture account. As James Kimble at the New Hampshire Union-Leader reports:

A forfeiture account once controlled by embattled Rockingham County Attorney James Reams is being scrutinized as part of the state and federal investigation into his office, the New Hampshire Union Leader has learned.

The Rockingham County Attorney Forfeiture Account has reaped thousands of dollars in federal asset forfeiture money and court-ordered fines from corporations that were prosecuted for state liquor violations or gambling offenses.

Reams' office has taken in roughly $139,890 in fines and seized cash from liquor and gambling prosecutions since August 2005, according to a review of court records.



Thousands of dollars of that money has been doled out to local police departments that aided in investigating the liquor-offense or gambling cases, while also covering expenses at the county attorney's office for staff training, equipment and office supplies, county finance records show.

Attorney General Joe Foster suspended Reams on the night of Nov. 6 pending the outcome of a state and federal investigation into management issues at his office.



Bank statements for the forfeiture account — obtained through a Right-to-Know request — show that $25,241.91 in electronic payments was made to an American Express card dating back to 2007.

County Commissioner Kevin Coyle said that the county has no detailed statements to the American Express card, and has not asked for one to date.



"As far as we know, it's not a county credit card," Coyle said.

Reams acknowledged in an interview that the credit card belongs to him.



He said the money paid to the credit card reimbursed him for travel expenses incurred while attending conferences held by the National District Attorney's Association.

"If I went to a meeting, it would cover airfare, hotel, per diem," Reams said. "A check would be written directly to the credit card company. I fronted all of those expenses and got reimbursed."



Last year, the account made $8,170.78 in electronic payments to the American Express card, bank records show.

Reams said he has maintained detailed records of the reimbursements, and that all uses of the money are permissible through federal guidelines for asset forfeiture funds. He said that his participation in the NDAA has brought more money back to New Hampshire in training than the cost of going to conferences, and has saved county taxpayers thousands.

Reams said the travel expenses only represent a small portion of the account's holdings.



"The vast majority of the money went right back to police departments," he said.