Manhunt Launched for Former Chief of Staff

Roy McGrath is a former government official who worked for former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan. McGrath was indicted on several federal charges by a grand jury in 2022. This means he was charged with breaking the law.

The government intended to put McGrath on trial to determine whether or not he was guilty. However, he did not appear in court on Monday. The police were concerned because they couldn’t find him. As a result, they decided to look for him in his hometown of Naples, Florida.

The police had to break into McGrath’s house because he was not there. They looked for him but he was not there. The US Marshals Service then went on the hunt for him. A manhunt is a large search party in which the police look for someone who is evading the law. The US Marshals Service created posters with McGrath’s image and information. He was labeled a “fugitive,” which means he is evading the law.

McGrath was charged with five counts of wire fraud and two counts of embezzling funds from an organization that received more than $10,000 in federal benefits, according to the DOJ. He was the executive director of the Maryland Environmental Service in addition to being the chief of staff (MES). He is accused of forging a document that was presented to Hogan as a memo. The document even had a blue checkmark, which the former governor frequently used to indicate that he had seen and approved it.

Prosecutors also believe he obtained over $276,731 from the government fraudulently. McGrath is also facing state charges for allegedly recording private conversations with senior state officials, including the governor, in addition to the federal case. He is also charged with felony theft schemes, felony theft, misappropriation, and violating the Maryland Wiretap Statute.

McGrath’s attorney stated that he had no idea where McGrath was. McGrath’s wife was also unaware of his whereabouts. If convicted, McGrath could face a lengthy prison sentence. He faces up to 140 years in prison.