HOUSTON A north Houston mansion that was seized from a former drug kingpin was open to the public Wednesday.
Officials were hosting an open house at the home, located at 17907 Elk Valley Circle, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
U.S. Marshals will auction the 5-bedroom, 8,000-square-foot abode next week.
Bidding starts at $471,000. Interested buyers can submit their bids online at bid4assets.com/houstonhome from March 29-31.
The home used to belong to Daron Odell Jones, who is currently serving 13 years in prison for running a drug empire.
Investigators said his drug operation supplied thousands of pounds of cocaine and had ties to Mexican drug cartels.
Along with the home, officials said Jones agreed to forfeit a 2007 Mercedes s550, a 2006 Maserati, $1,000,000 in drug proceeds, a 2007 Chevy Avalanche, a 2002 Saturn Vue and a 2001 BMW X5.
Jones had previously agreed to forfeit a 2006 Ferrari F-430, a 2007 BMW M6, $47,041 in cash, a $16,000 cashier s check and numerous pieces of jewelry, according the Dept. of Justice.
