BY DUANE W. GANG and IMRAN GHORI
STAFF WRITERS
dgang@pe.com | ighori@pe.com
Federal agents descended upon Riverside and San Bernardino counties on Thursday, serving search warrants on nine locations with ties to the Colonies Partners corruption probe.
Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service agents carted away computers, dozens of boxes of documents and other evidence from homes and businesses in five cities. Locations included the home and office of a former state senator and the offices of a Riverside public relations firm.
It is unclear exactly what the FBI and IRS agents sought, since the affidavits in support of the search warrants remain under seal.
But the locations searched all have ties to people involved in the state and local investigation of San Bernardino County’s $102 million settlement with developer Colonies Partners. Local prosecutors say the settlement was obtained through a conspiracy of bribery and extortion. The defendants face more than 20 charges in total.
The federal investigation is separate, and state and local authorities were not involved in Thursday’s searches, according to officials with knowledge of the investigations.
Federal agents searched Diversified Pacific in Rancho Cucamonga. Jeff Burum, co-managing member of Colonies Partners, helped start the company.
Defense attorneys who have seen the warrants said Thursday that federal agents are seeking information similar to that used by local and state prosecutors in building their case.
A host of reasons could have prompted the FBI and IRS to get involved, said Loyola law professor Laurie Levenson, a former federal prosecutor.
Local authorities could have referred the matter to them, or federal officials may also see a bigger case or felt the current prosecution has not been sufficient, Levenson said.
“The feds have more resources and experience in pursuing these types of cases,” she said.
San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos declined to comment.
The federal agents searched:
The home of Jeff Burum, co-managing member of Colonies Partners, and his office at Diversified Pacific, a development company he helped start. National Community Renaissance, a nonprofit housing company he founded, also was searched. All three are in Rancho Cucamonga. Burum faces charges of conspiracy and aiding and abetting conflict of interest in the state case. He has denied wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty.
The Fontana home and business of former state Sen. Jim Brulte. Brulte is a partner with California Strategies, a Sacramento-based government and public affairs firm.
Brulte served in the Legislature from 1990 through 2004 and led Republican caucuses in both houses. He worked for Colonies during the settlement talks in 2004 and 2005. He has not been charged with a crime.
The Riverside business of Patrick O’Reilly. O’Reilly owns O’Reilly Public Relations and worked with Burum during the settlement negotiations. O’Reilly has not been charged with a crime but was an unnamed, uncharged co-conspirator in a February 2010 case related to the Colonies case.
The Rancho Cucamonga home of Paul Biane, a former two-term San Bernardino County supervisor. Biane voted for the $102 million settlement in November 2006. In the state case, he faces seven felony charges including bribery and perjury and has pleaded not guilty.
The Highland home of Jim Erwin, a former assistant assessor and former chief of staff to Supervisor Neil Derry. Erwin was a consultant for Colonies Partners at the time of the settlement. He faces 16 felony state charges and has pleaded not guilty.
The Hesperia home of Mark Kirk, the former chief of staff to Supervisor Gary Ovitt. Ovitt voted for the settlement. Local prosecutors say Kirk secretly controlled a political action committee that received $100,000 from Colonies. Kirk faces seven state charges and has pleaded not guilty.
‘No Wrongdoing’
In May, a San Bernardino County grand jury returned a 29-count indictment against Burum, Biane, Erwin and Kirk. Since then, the four have pleaded not guilty and were successful in getting a number of charges dismissed.
Burum’s attorney, Stephen Larson, said it’s difficult to know the exact nature of the investigation until they see the affidavit, but the warrant appears to indicate that “it’s certainly related in large measure to the allegations raised in the state case.”
“We actually welcome the involvement of the FBI and federal authorities in this case,” Larson said. “We believe that once they thoroughly investigate this case they will find there was absolutely no wrongdoing by any of the subjects of the investigation, including Mr. Burum.”
Paul Grech, an attorney for Kirk, said his client has done nothing wrong.
“The subject matter of the search warrant is the same subject matter that we have been litigating in court, in which we have been getting charges thrown out of court,” Grech said.
To read entire story, click here.
billyjackattack ; Your right about the judges, all of them !
When your case falls apart, call in the IRS.
This is clearly a fresh set of eyes looking into the money trail for possible evasion of tax.
Can you say PLEA BARGAIN?
Traci, please do.
Makeyou adouchebag: The DA already searched all those computers. Don’t you think the corrupt DA would have charged Derry with something real if he could have. Go Ristow go!
Billy it clearly appears your pal Ramos is not the shining star at this point either!!!! whoa AMEN. I bet that’s part of the problem too!!
Well thanks billy for the clarification that Ramos is not your pal. My apologies I thought for sure you were cutting his lawn. LOL!!!!
YES I will agree with you 100% on the last line of your comment. I am 100% happy the feds are moving forward.
Ramos has plenty of mud on his shoes.
Billy…you speak of the westside boys…any comment on the eastenders? I
I once again suggest that readers of the blog contact…trineday publishing for a FREE copy of “THE LAST CIRCLE” by Cheri Seymour, at 1 800 556 2012. Mention truthseekSBC,with a San Bernadino or Riversde county address…and your copy will be on is way.
This expose’ on the historical ties of corruption between local,state and federal agencies,many names we are all familiar with.
These papers were prepared in 1996 for a senate investigtion,and have been updated as new developments warrant…did I mention the book is Free…so no excuses for being ignorant on these facts!
Ms, Doreenb Boxer was cozy with Mike Ramos and Brulte, So, did she tip off Brulte or was she feeding info about him to Mike RAMOS the FBI should question her, bet ya they get a mouthfull,
AntiCorruptionUnit: I think Ramos has a lot more then just mud on his shoes and it’s coming to light as we speak. The charging only non friends and his so called investigations and prosecution is getting more and more obvious. He has got to be scared out of his mind at this time!
jS: I also think you are hitting the nail on the head.
billyjackattack: If I remember right there is a judge on the above list of partners and so his his wife.
TruthseekerSBC: You are right on excuses for being ignorant on any of the facts. How ever the facts seem to be ignored out of ignorance on a regular basis in San Bernardino. That whole money keeping mouths shut game. Let’s see if the money is worth it when jail time come into play.
You can put money that scumbag Deveraux is behind a lot of this. Him and his patron Ovitt. The day is coming for Devilreaux and his minion the Whoremonger.
amingo: Yes you can put money on the scumbag Derveraux and his boss Ovitt. Their time is coming near. The list is longer then just the two of them…
Hey Mikey, SAY HELLO TO MR. RICO (none of this would have been possible without your policy of “selective prostitution” of authority and the public resources at your disposal, a true enabler of corruption).
One big question still remains, how will Governator Moonbeam try to save face when his political ally and fellow attorney buddy is IMPLICATED OR INDICTED BY A FEDERAL GRAND JURY for involvement in the BIGGEST CORRUPTION SCANDAL IN THE HISTORY OF CA?!
WTH, well said for sure. No one wants an outside agency involved in this type of corruption, guys like Ramos and Hoops can’t control everything.
If in doubt think of Floyd Tidwell. He was prosecuted only because outside agencies were aware of what happened, they were there, they saw the situation first hand. Oops, can’t keep that a secret. That case was still a sham though in the final outcome.
Now take the POST scandal. Remember what Hoops first statement to the press was? Then what happened several months later? Who is handling that scandal, Ramos and Hoops. Neither of them two still understand many of their own employees ratted them out and still are.
Oh YES I’d love to hear what moonbeam has to say on this? HOW about the new AG too? I wonder if she was mis-informed like many others?
Let’s hope Ramos get’s tagged with an obstruction of justice sometime soon?? I don’t think Barack Obama will be awarding Mike Ramos with the Best DA of the year award.
billyjackattack: There’s a lot of people that don’t see eye to with me on political views and I’m fine with that. I think that’s one of the wonderful things about being American! I feel that we all need to start voting American meaning voting for who is going to do the best job. Not because they are a Republican, Democratic, Tea Party, Independent, Libertarian, Conservative or what ever other groups are on the ballet. All the political parties continue to do is point the fingers and it’s not our fault game and that is one tired game. The County has tried to keep my story out of the major papers. How ever a reporter by the name of Gail Fry wrote about my story in the SBC Sentinel. She is an awesome writer and did a very good story. The problem with our local papers is they get a vast majority of their funding via County so when stories are not flattering to the County they have a way of getting shot down before they are ever even heard. I even got told one time by the daily press that my story couldn’t be ran because it was to political. You can find out a lot about me by going through the county web page to the board of supervisors meetings and listening to public commits for over the last two years. You can find out about a lot of the corruption that way to. I have spoke not only about my story, but I have spoken on behalf of other small businesses, families having problems, illegal contracts being given unlawfully, our senior citizens being taken advantage of, misappropriation of discretionary funds,and ways to reform our County. I’m not the only one doing things like this to help our community there are about 6 of us that do this on a regular basis to try to make a difference. Act is also out there doing this to. I am not looking for sympathies in any fashion. I am looking for reform and justice for all of us. Our Country was founded by small businesses and our board of supervisors are closing down our mom and pop companies quicker than a blink of an eye. It has got to stop. The Federal Governments gave our board of Supervisors millions of dollars to help keep the doors open to our small businesses and instead of using that money for that purpose they misappropriated the money and gave it to major companies and left us all high and dry. Like Rosa Parks refused to sit in the back of the buss to gain the rights of our African Women a long time ago, I will not be kicked against the curb any longer as I have the right to own a Business just like anybody else! I worked hard for it and I earned everything that me and my children had!
ich auch :
What is the A?
ich auch :
Was ist der A
Was ist los, dummkopf ?
Well Well:
If believing that makes you feel better, if that fantasy helps you sleep at night, if it calms your stomach, continue to live in your dream.
tiny stevie blunder:
Nur sehen, wenn ich etwas imbacil bekommen konnte zu beantworten.
Have you ever considered about adding a little bit more than just your articles?
I mean, what you say is fundamental and all. But imagine if you added some great pictures
or videos to give your posts more, “pop”! Your content is excellent
but with images and clips, this site could certainly be one of the greatest in its niche.
Awesome blog!
The problem with all that glitter and tech is that is will get too overwhelming to the senses, most people glancing at this blog are already too busy and just want to peak in.
That’s the allure here, the news is SIMPLE, SHORT, SWEET and to the point.
Although it’s nice to see Admin.’s creative pictures.