GOVERNMENT EFFORT TO SEIZE DRUG DEALER'S HOME HITS SNAG

GREENEVILLE - The U.S. government recently hit a snag in the seizure of a
home that once belonged to Clifford Farra - the Kingsport truck driver
convicted of drug offenses involving nearly 2 kilos of cocaine and about 50
pounds of marijuana.

Farra was sentenced to 44 years in prison and fined more than $1 million
for transporting drugs during the course of driving his independently owned
tractor-trailer.

Prosecutors said Farra hauled the drugs from Mexico and distributed them
from his 111 Arlington Circle home during 1999.

Last year, the U.S. government filed a motion in U.S. District Court in
Greeneville requesting that the Arlington Circle land and home be forfeited.

In April 2002, U.S. Magistrate Judge Dennis Inman granted the request, and
the U.S. government proceeded with finding a buyer for the property.

The U.S. Marshal's Service found a buyer and attempted to close the sale of
the Arlington Circle property.

However, the company hired to research the title history of the property
discovered a second deed of trust on the Arlington Circle property and
refused to certify that the title was free from defects.

"Accordingly, the sale of the property could not close," court records state.

The U.S. government claims that in December 2001 Clifford Farra granted a
second deed of trust in the Arlington Circle property to Kingsport attorney
Larry Dillow for the purpose of securing a $60,000 debt to Jodi Farra - the
brother of Clifford.

The government claims Jodi Farra had knowledge of its forfeiture request
when he recorded the second deed of trust with the Sullivan County register
of deeds.

"Jodi Farra claims the second deed is valid and superior to the United
States' interest and is refusing to release the second deed," court records
state. "The actions of Jodi Farra have cast a cloud over the title of the
United States to the Arlington Circle property."

The U.S. government filed a complaint against Jodi Farra and Dillow on Aug.
15 requesting an order compelling them to release the second deed of trust
and to declare that deed void.