The wife of Roy McGrath, now a wanted fugitive and ex-chief of staff for former Gov. Larry Hogan, is cooperating with law enforcement as the manhunt continues after McGrath failed to appear for his federal fraud trail in Baltimore.
The U.S. Marshals Service issued a wanted poster for McGrath Tuesday afternoon, and sources tell FOX45 News search for McGrath is now a multi-state, multi-agency effort with FBI agents also involved in the investigation.
Laura Bruner, McGrath’s wife, is “concerned for his well-being,” according to McGrath’s attorney Joseph Murtha.
Burner is “unaware of his whereabouts,” Murtha added.
McGrath was scheduled to get on a plane from Florida – where he lives – and travel to Baltimore Sunday for his federal trial Monday morning. However, McGrath didn’t show up for an 8:45 a.m. meeting with Murtha and did not respond to texts or calls. Murtha said he spoke with McGrath on the phone Sunday afternoon and was under no impression there was anything wrong.
“I hope that he is safe, and I know these situations are very stressful, the uncertainty of going to trial can cause people to do things that we don’t believe are appropriate,” Murtha said Monday outside the federal courthouse. “Most importantly, I hope he’s safe.”
Local law enforcement in Florida performed a wellness check at McGrath’s home Monday around 10:30 a.m. but McGrath was not home.
McGrath is facing an eight-count federal indictment, accused of wire fraud, embezzlement, and allegations of falsifying a government document. McGrath is accused of receiving a severance payment worth one year of his salary of his previous position -- $233,648 as the head of the Maryland Environmental Service, a quasi-government agency.
McGrath is also accused of failure to take vacation time while traveling to Florida and a European cruise. The falsifying documents charge stems from allegations that Hogan knew about McGrath’s severance payment from the MES before moving to the governor’s office, adding that Hogan signed off on the agreement.
As a condition of his pre-trial release, McGrath was ordered to surrender his passport. If arrested, McGrath will be extradited back to Baltimore.