Maryland Community Newspapers Online
"The county executive is confident that there isn't any members of his staff that's done anything wrong," said John Erzen, a spokesman for County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D).
Johnson confirmed Monday that the FBI searched through the offices of David Byrd, deputy chief administrative officer, and J. Michael Doughtery, director of the office of finance. County fire department Lt. Col. Karl Granzow Jr.'s home was searched Saturday as was the New Carrollton home of Thomas Hendershot, who served on the council from 1999 to 2006.
According to The Washington Post, the offices of developer Patrick Ricker, who is a friend of Granzow, were also raided.
Media reports have suggested the FBI is looking into deals concerning Greenbelt Station, a mixed-use development proposed for near the Greenbelt Metro station which Ricker is involved in developing.
Wilbert R. Wilson, who has worked as a consultant for Greenbelt Station developers, is mentioned in the subpoena, as is David Jacobs, the husband of school board chairman Verjeana M. Jacobs, according to the Post.
Ricker's attorney, William C. Brennan, declined to comment. Wilson and Granzow did not return calls for comment.
Rich Wolf, spokesman for the Baltimore branch of the FBI which conducted the investigation, declined to comment on the search or provide The Gazette with a copy of the search warrant.
Greenbelt Station's 240-acre site, located between Greenbelt Road and Cherry Lane, would include 2,200 residential units, 1 million square feet of retail and entertainment space, 1.2 million square feet of office space and 300 hotel rooms.
Greenbelt City Manager Michael P. McLaughlin said any timetable developers provided has likely changed due to the economy.
"They've had site plan approval for 300-plus townhomes and 300-plus apartments for over a year now and there's no indication they're starting anytime soon," he said.
While on the council in 2001, Hendershot proposed converting the property from industrial use to mixed-use development, which he was able to get approved.
Hendershot declined to comment.
County officials said they are cooperating with investigators and explained the reason for the county office searches.
"They were interested in looking at things having to do with some development deals and finance so obviously they would look at people in finance and development deals," Erzen said.
Sen. Paul Pinsky (D-Dist.22) of University Park, whose district includes part of the development, said the Greenbelt station negotiations were contentious.
"I tried to encourage the city and the developers to come together and work out any differences," he said. "The city wanted certain things. The developer wanted certain things. It went back and forth for a year and a half."
Pinsky said he did not know what investigators are looking into and that he was not involved in negotiations.
McLaughlin said city officials have not been made aware of any information concerning the investigation.
"The development agreement ironed out the great majority of the issues," he said. "… There's been a number of discussions with Petrie Ross Ventures, the company interested in [a portion of Greenbelt Station], with their vision of the area."
Petrie Ross Ventures was unable to provide information requested by The Gazette by deadline.
McLaughlin declined to comment as to whether the investigation would affect work on the project.
E-mail Jeffrey K. Lyles at jlyles@gazette.net.
Staff writer Jonah Schumann contributed to this story.