Charlie is hiking along a trail on forested land in the state of Maine near the United States’ border with Canada. Beside the trail, Charlie finds a backpack that contains $100,000 in cash. He reports the find to U.S. Customs agents, who take custody of it. A drugsniffing dog alerts the agents to the scent of drugs on the backpack and the cash, which evidences its use in illegal drug transactions. The federal government claims title to the property under criminal forfeiture laws. Charlie objects, claiming title under Maine’s estray statute.

Is Charlie entitled to the $100,000 under the state’s estray statute? No. Like many states, Maine has an estray statute. This estray statute requires a finder to notify the nearest town’s clerk in writing within seven days after finding the property. The ______________ is also required to post a public notice and ______________ the find in the town’s newspaper. ______________ has not fulfilled these estray statute requirements. Therefore, ______________ has not acquired title to the property under the estray statute. Instead, the federal government has a legitimate right to the $100,000.