Federal grand jury investigation widens
mfitzgerald@bnd.com
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EAST ST. LOUIS -- The federal grand jury probe into allegations of election fraud and public corruption in East St. Louis has continued to widen since it began more than two months ago.
One result was an FBI raid on City Hall and the seizure of computers and boxes of documents in December.
The probe now has spread into the office of Police Chief Ron Matthews.
Matthews, 55, has received a subpoena to testify about a .38-caliber pistol belonging to David Qattoum, an East St. Louis businessman and former East St. Louis auxiliary police officer.
Federal prosecutors and the grand jury want to learn about the whereabouts of the pistol that police seized from Qattoum in August, but which has since vanished.
Matthews has been ordered to appear in U.S. District Court in East St. Louis and testify before the grand jury scheduled to meet Jan. 20, according to a copy of the subpoena Matthews received Jan. 3.
Matthews, however, denied that he has been called to testify before the grand jury.
"I was contacted by them and they said they didn't want my presence," Matthews said. "They just wanted to make sure they had all the necessary reports that have been forwarded to them."
As for the subpoena, Matthews said, "I don't know what it's about."
For his part, Qattoum said he has not received a subpoena, just as he denied any knowledge of his pistol's fate.
"I don't know nothing about that," said Qattoum, 40, of Belleville.
Matthews must produce "any and all records and physical evidence relating in any manner whatsoever to the arrest of" Qattoum, who is also known as Ayoub Qattoum, according to the subpoena signed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith.
Matthews must submit all police reports, memos, lab reports, correspondence dating from Nov. 16, as well as Qattoum's arrest record and the .38-caliber Smith & Wesson pistol, according to the subpoena.
Ricky Perry, the head of the department's internal affairs division, also received a grand jury subpoena.
Qattoum's pistol was seized from him in early August, after a scuffle between him and an East St. Louis Police officer.
Qattoum was arrested after he allegedly refused to obey the officer's order to leave the scene of a traffic stop. Qattoum was also charged with having an unauthorized gun and a red-and-blue oscillating light. Qattoum's arrest led to his removal from the auxiliary police unit and prompted an investigation by Perry, the internal affairs officer.
Qattoum, who owns a gas station and convenience store at the corner of 25th and Louisiana streets, has developed close ties to East St. Louis Police officers over the years.
Through his friendship with Rudy McIntosh, the department's deputy chief, Qattoum has been allowed to take part in drug busts initiated by the federally funded Street Corner Apprehension Team, even though Qattoum is not a trained police officer.
The grand jury in East St. Louis began its probe in early November, when it issued subpoenas to Democratic committeemen from nine East St. Louis election precincts. The committeemen were ordered to testify as to how tens of thousands of dollars were spent getting out the vote Nov. 2.
In late November, the FBI raided City Hall, seizing boxes of documents and computer hard drives from the offices of Bob Storman, the city manager, and Kelvin Ellis, the director of the city's Department of Regulatory Affairs.
In late December, McIntosh -- a Democratic committeeman for Precinct 30 -- testified before the grand jury, along with another Democratic committeeman and a woman who worked for Ellis.
So far no charges have been filed against anyone who has been called to testify since November.