Federal authorities initiated a manhunt Tuesday for former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan‘s onetime chief of workers after he failed to look in courtroom in reference to a sequence of fraud and different prices.
The U.S. Marshals Service tweeted that it had launched an interstate fugitive investigation into Roy McGrath, and its Baltimore workplace “is now in search of to apprehend the previous Maryland governor’s high aide” after he was not in Maryland federal courtroom on Monday.
An arrest warrant was additionally issued, the Marshals added.
NBC Information has reached out to the company for touch upon the manhunt.
Based on courtroom paperwork, McGrath is dealing with prices of wire fraud, theft in applications receiving federal funds and falsification of information in federal investigations, in reference to an indictment that claims he defrauded the state-owned Maryland Environmental Service.
An legal professional for McGrath, Joseph Murtha instructed NBC Information in an e mail that he was uncertain of his consumer’s whereabouts after he did not present up at 9 a.m. on Monday for an arraignment and jury choice for the trial earlier than Choose Deborah L. Boardman.
“Sadly, at the moment I’ve no additional details about Mr. McGrath,” Murtha wrote. “It’s my hope that he’s secure and that we’ll have a chance to talk to 1 one other within the close to future.”
McGrath, who lives in Florida and has pleaded not responsible to all prices in opposition to him, has been free on private recognizance on situations that he promised to look in courtroom as required and serve any sentence imposed following a courtroom look in October 2021.
Based on the indictment, from March 2019 by December 2020, McGrath used his place on the Maryland Environmental Service to complement himself by fraudulently issuing himself funds. The company capabilities as an unbiased state entity that gives waste administration and different providers to native authorities companies, federal authorities entities and the non-public sector.
Prosecutors additionally accused McGrath, 53, of illegally recording non-public conversations with senior state officers and falsifying his time sheets, claiming that he was at work whereas vacationing on two events in 2019.
McGrath first joined Hogan’s workplace as deputy chief of workers in 2015. Hogan then appointed him to guide the Maryland Environmental Service, in December 2016.
McGrath later briefly returned to the GOP governor’s workplace, to function Hogan’s chief of workers in June 2020. He resigned months later after dealing with backlash over receiving a “severance fee” in extra of $230,000 for the Maryland Environmental Service job earlier than taking over his position as Hogan’s high aide.