The ongoing search for former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan‘s ex-chief of staff is heating up.
Federal authorities are now offering a combined $20,000 reward in the manhunt for Roy McGrath who has disappeared after failing to show up at his criminal trial in Baltimore earlier this month.
According to Fox News, the increased reward comes two weeks after the FBI raided McGrath's home in Florida on March 15.
“A federal arrest warrant was issued by the United States District Court, District of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, on March 13, 2023, after he was charged with Failure to Appear,” the FBI says.
The Associated Press reports that the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service are offering $10,000 each for information leading to McGrath's arrest.
Joseph Murtha, McGrath's attorney, said he had no reason to believe his client would skip out on court, noting he had a substantive conversation about the case the evening before proceeding were set to begin.
“I looked forward to seeing him at 8:45 this morning,” Murtha said on the day of McGrath's scheduled appearance. “Most importantly, I'm concerned. I'm hoping he's safe. These situations are very stressful, the uncertainty of going to trial can cause people to do things many people don't think are appropriate. We hope that he's safe.”
McGrath is facing an eight-count federal indictment stemming from a criminal corruption investigation. Charges include wire fraud, including securing a $233,648 severance payment equal to one year of salary as the head of Maryland Environmental Service. He also faces fraud and embezzlement charges connected to roughly $170,000 in expenses. McGrath has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
McGrath resigned from Hogan's office a few months after the six-figure payment was reported.
According to Fox News, McGrath gave up his passport in October 2021 as part of terms set in his pretrial release.
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20,000 for his failure to appear in court while the FBI/Justice Dept. let millions of illegal immigrants
do this everyday. Again our government shows us
their two tier justice system they use against American citizens. While they allow the illegals
to break our laws and pay them quite well with
law abiding citizens tax money.