2023 Montana Code Annotated › Title 45. Crimes › Chapter 5. Offenses Against the Person › Part 7. Human Trafficking › 45-5-707. Property subject to forfeiture -- human trafficking

45-5-707. Property subject to forfeiture -- human trafficking.
(1) (a) A person commits the offense of use or possession of property subject to criminal forfeiture for human trafficking if the person knowingly possesses, owns, uses, or attempts to use property that is subject to criminal forfeiture under this section. A person convicted of the offense of use or possession of property subject to criminal forfeiture shall be imprisoned in the state prison for a term not to exceed 10 years.
(b) Property is subject to criminal forfeiture under this section if it is used or intended for use in violation of 45-5-702, 45-5-703, 45-5-705, 45-5-706, or 45-5-711.
(c) The following property is subject to criminal forfeiture under this section:
(i) money, raw materials, products, equipment, and other property of any kind;
(ii) property used or intended for use as a container for property enumerated in subsection (1)(c)(i);
(iii) except as provided in subsection (2), a conveyance, including an aircraft, vehicle, or vessel;
(iv) books, records, research products and materials, formulas, microfilm, tapes, and data;
(v) anything of value furnished or intended to be furnished in exchange for the provision of labor or services or commercial sexual activity and all proceeds traceable to the exchange;
(vi) negotiable instruments, securities, and weapons; and
(vii) personal property constituting or derived from proceeds obtained directly or indirectly from the provision of labor or services or commercial sexual activity.
(2) A conveyance is not subject to criminal forfeiture under this section unless the owner or other person in charge of the conveyance knowingly used the conveyance or knowingly consented to its use for the purposes described in subsection (1)(b).
(3) Criminal forfeiture under this section of property that is encumbered by a bona fide security interest is subject to that interest if the secured party did not use or consent to the use of the property for the purposes described in subsection (1)(b).
(4) Property subject to criminal forfeiture under this section may be seized under the following circumstances:
(a) A peace officer who has probable cause to make an arrest for a violation as described in subsection (1)(b) may seize a conveyance obtained with the proceeds of the violation or used to facilitate the violation and shall immediately deliver the conveyance to the peace officer's law enforcement agency to be held as evidence until a criminal forfeiture is declared or release ordered.
(b) Property subject to criminal forfeiture under this section may be seized by a peace officer under a search warrant issued by a court having jurisdiction over the property.
(c) Seizure without a warrant may be made if:
(i) the seizure is incident to an arrest or a search under a search warrant issued for another purpose;
(ii) the property was the subject of a prior judgment in favor of the state in a criminal proceeding or a criminal forfeiture proceeding under the provisions of Title 44, chapter 12, or this section;
(iii) a peace officer has probable cause to believe that the property is directly or indirectly dangerous to health or safety; or
(iv) a peace officer has probable cause to believe that the property was used or is intended to be used under the circumstances described in subsection (1)(b).
(5) A forfeiture proceeding under subsection (1) must be commenced within 45 days of the seizure of the property involved.
(6) The procedure for forfeiture proceedings in Title 44, chapter 12, part 2, applies to property seized pursuant to this section.
(7) Upon conviction, the property subject to criminal forfeiture is forfeited to the state and proceeds from the sale of property seized under this section must be distributed to the holders of security interests who have presented proper proof of their claims up to the amount of their interests in the property. The remainder, if any, must be deposited in the crime victims compensation account provided for in 53-9-113.
History: En. Sec. 7, Ch. 285, L. 2015; amd. Sec. 15, Ch. 167, L. 2023.