BOSTON, Jan. 14, 2014—Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley this week delivered thousands of dollars in seized drug money to a Revere non-profit that works to keep kids and teens away from drugs, gangs, and risky behavior.

As part of his office’s annual Asset Forfeiture Community Reinvestment Program, Conley yesterday presented a check for $3,000 to Community Action Programs Inter-City to fund sporting goods, uniforms, and travel expenses for the Police Activities League basketball team. The team draws players receiving services through CAPIC, which addresses the needs of families in poverty to help them achieve and maintain self-sufficiency.

Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley, center, presents a check for $3,000 in seized drug money to Kris Oldoni, director of the Police Activities League for the anti-poverty agency Community Action Programs Inter-City. The award will fund sporting goods, uniforms, and travel expenses for a youth basketball team; it comes from assets seized during Suffolk County drug trafficking prosecutions. With Conley and Oldoni were Revere Mayor Dan Rizzo (far right), Revere Police Chief Joseph Cafarelli (in uniform), and Revere Police Lt. John Goodwin (far left).

Conley presented the award to Revere Mayor Dan Rizzo, Revere Police Chief Joseph Cafarelli and Lt. John Goodwin, and PAL Director Kris Oldoni – a fixture at Conley’s annual Basketball for Peace tournament.

“Each year we donate tens of thousands of dollars in free cash grants to Suffolk County groups that work directly with young people,” Conley said. “They aren’t police or prosecutors, but they do some of the most effective crime fighting around by giving kids and teens positive role models and healthy choices. I’m proud to be a part of their team.”

Groups across Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop will split about $50,000 in cash awards this year at no cost to taxpayers: every cent comes from assets seized during drug trafficking prosecutions. State auditors last year reviewed the process in Suffolk County and gave it high marks for turning “the profits of crime into something positive for the community” while carefully documenting all forfeiture-related income and expenditures.

The annual grant process begins in the summer, with application forms available on the Suffolk DA’s website: http://www.suffolkdistrictattorney.com/partnerships-and-prevention/asset-forfeiture-reinvestment-program/. Awards are typically distributed in the winter.

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