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DAVID KARPThe former housing officials will testify before a federal grand jury next week as part of a probe that's gone on two years.
TAMPA - Six officials who worked for former city housing chief Steve LaBrake have been ordered to testify before a federal grand jury next week.
The six all worked under LaBrake when he oversaw affordable housing programs for former Mayor Dick Greco.
Among those summoned to testify are Corine E. Linebrink, a former city planner who had been a close friend of LaBrake.
Linebrink signed a loan guarantee that helped LaBrake clear a lot and begin construction on a luxury house in South Tampa.
Her personnel records were subpoenaed in 2001 by a federal grand jury.
Kim Norquist, a city official who awarded contracts to the construction company that built LaBrake's luxury house, also was subpoenaed to testify.
Norquist recently was interviewed by the FBI agent whose name appears on documents with the subpoenas.
Others subpoenaed were Vernell Savage, manager of the city's community development agency; assistant manager David Snyder; senior redevelopment counselor JoAnne Harrelson; and Sharon Diaz, an accountant.
A letter from the U.S. Attorney's Office addresses each of the six officials as "Dear witness." It does not say why prosecutors want them to appear before the grand jury, which is a panel that can charge people with crimes.
The U.S. Attorney's Office declined to elaborate.
"We cannot discuss the investigation and speculate at what level it is at or where it is going," said spokesman Steve Cole.
The probe began after LaBrake built a luxury home in South Tampa with his then-girlfriend, Lynne McCarter, who worked as his aide at City Hall. Two companies that were awarded thousands of dollars in city business under LaBrake helped the couple build the house.
LaBrake, who did not return a call for comment Monday, has denied wrongdoing.
The subpoenas may be a sign that prosecutors are preparing an indictment of LaBrake or other officials after a two-year investigation.
Prosecutors should already know what the subpoenaed witnesses will tell the grand jury. At least three of them have already been interviewed at length by FBI agents.
Even so, former federal prosecutors cautioned against reading too much into the subpoenas.
"I had many grand jury investigations that I conducted for a long period of time and shut down with no charges," said Gregory W. Kehoe, a former federal prosecutor who is now in private practice in Tampa.
"You are really early in the game," he said.
The witnesses may have been called to testify about crimes they witnessed, or they may simply be asked to describe routine business practices and office policies, Kehoe said.
The subpoenas were sought by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert O'Neill, chief of the office's criminal division.
O'Neill, who has specialized in public corruption and organized crime cases, successfully prosecuted former Tampa Housing Authority executive director Audley Evans and contractor C. Hayward Chapman for bribery and illegal gratuities.
In that case, it took four years of audits and investigations before a grand jury brought an indictment against Evans. He was indicted in 2000, nearly two years after he was subpoenaed to provide a grand jury with records.
In the investigation of LaBrake, two years have passed since O'Neill last had subpoenas served on city officials.
In August 2001, O'Neill sought three subpoenas for personnel records, complaints, files and e-mails about LaBrake and other housing officials.
City Attorney Fred Karl said the city will retain a lawyer to advise the subpoenaed officials about their rights. The lawyer will only tell the witnesses about the grand jury process, but won't discuss the substance of the investigation, Karl said.
"My advice to them is if you have anything on your conscience, you better get your own attorney," Karl said.
Economic development administrator Mark Huey said he's concerned that the investigation will hurt morale and the office's work.
Huey said he doesn't have any evidence that the six city officials have done anything wrong. Until the investigation ends, he wants the affordable housing office to concentrate on the public's work.
"We are trying to meet our citizens' needs," Huey said.
- David Karp can be reached at 226-3376 or karp@sptimes.com