An attorney for a Manhattan couple is claiming they were deemed a “high value target” by Will County prosecutors pursuing a forfeiture case against them that failed in court.

Attorney Frank Andreano filed a motion on Feb. 20 that said Jeff Regnier and Greta Keranen believe they were targeted because of the “potential income” that State’s Attorney James Glasgow’s Office would receive if the forfeiture case had succeeded.

Andreano’s motion said the couple believe Glasgow’s office investigated them “prior to the discovery of any evidence of supposed crimes” committed by them.

On Wednesday, Will County Assistant State’s Attorney Laura Byrne said Glasgow’s office has no comment “at this time as this matter is currently pending an appeal.”

Andreano’s Feb. 20 motion is meant to supplement another motion he has filed requesting a special prosecutor investigate federal agents and the forfeiture unit of Glasgow’s Office.

A judge has not yet ruled on the motion for a special prosecutor as of Wednesday.

Andreano’s motion contends a 2023 forfeiture case for two vehicles belonging to Regnier and Keranen was filed by Glasgow’s office to inflict “significant financial punishment” on them.

Prosecutors filed a complaint for forfeiture of the vehicles under the allegation they were obtained through “felony loan fraud,” court records show.

On Jan. 21, Will County Judge Brian Barrett dismissed the case after finding no evidence to support the allegation. Will County Assistant State’s Attorney Dant Foulk filed an appeal of Barrett’s ruling.

In Andreano’s Feb. 20 motion, he cited a PowerPoint presentation prepared by members of Glasgow’s office “for presentation to other prosecutors.”

“The PowerPoint describes how prosecutors may obtain documents otherwise protected by privacy laws and/or restrictions when seeking to discover ways to charge ‘high value targets,’” Andreano’s motion said.

The presentation recommended prosecutors should consider focusing on the prosecution of a target if they are a “high-value target” rather than the prosecution of the “specific subset of criminal offenses,” according to Andreano’s motion.

Andreano’s motion said the couple believe Glasgow’s office “circumvented Illinois privacy laws” and confidentiality policies by the Illinois Department of Employment Security by obtaining documents through an inspector general office for the U.S. Department of Labor.