lisa lisa fletcher on the rules aimed at giving counties spoils. the law-abiding systems held up by the laws of civil forfeiture. that's friday on "america tonight". . >> it is a remarkable story of the drug addiction fuelled on the job. most stunning is that the addict in this case was a federal agent who stole from confiscated evidence. he is now headed to prison, but the fear is that his case points to a bigger reason for concern, a wider when of failure that could impact fbi cases across the nation. "america tonight"s lori jane gliha with the background and the backlash. >>> the incriminating evidence in this black chevy impalas seems like a slam dunk drug case in september 2014. a gip locked baggy on the floorboard heroin on the center console and guns. this car didn't belong to a drug dealer, it was a government vehicle issued to a washington d.c. fbi agent, one addicted to the drug he spent his career trying to combat. >> i was dealing with a horrible addiction, and the lies that i did was related to that. >> reporter: matthew was a rising s

lisa lisa fletcher on the rules aimed at giving counties spoils. the law-abiding systems held up by the laws of civil forfeiture. >> investigating a dark side of the law >> they don't have the money to puchace their freedom... >> for some...crime does pay... >> the bail bond industry has been good to me.... i'll make a chunk of change off the crime... >> fault lines al jazeera america's hard hitting... >> today they will be arrested... >> ground breaking... they're firing canisters of gas at us... emmy award winning investigative series... chaising bail only on al jazeera america >> being a musician, there's no demand... >> world renowned artist lang lang >> the moment you're on stage, . >> it is a remarkable story of the drug addiction fuelled on the job. most stunning is that the addict in this case was a federal agent who stole from confiscated evidence. he is now headed to prison, but the fear is that his case points to a bigger reason for concern, a wider when of failure that could impact fbi cases across the nation. "america tonight"s lori ja

so least -- lisa fletcher is here. so lisa the abolishment of civil forfeiture outright, do other states have other conditions. >> a lot of them are looking to new mexico to think about change their laws, specifically wyoming, michigan, texas. but what's significant about the outright abolishment they can't civilly take someone's property, it can only be of criminal circumstances. you have to be convicted of a crime before they can take your assets or your assets have to be used in the commission of a crime. convicted or used in the commission of which is a huge change. a sweep change for new mexico and the first in the united states. >> when you think of what might be legitimate in civil forfeiture, after all i do hear of police departments that acquire a fast vehicle that becomes part of their arsenal of drug crime and speeders, it is beneficial to police departments and to communities. >> well, the financial resource he are no doubt beneficial and the police officers that we spoke to, the chief that you saw in the story the