Analysis of seized evidence in SCLC investigation may take months, experts say

Investigators in Trammell case will follow money trail as charges considered.

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By Dave Larsen, Staff Writer Updated 12:57 AM Saturday, February 13, 2010

DAYTON — It might be weeks or months before any criminal charges are filed in connection with the Thursday, Feb. 11, seizures of computers and documents at the home and offices of the Rev. Raleigh Trammell, national board chairman of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

The raids followed allegations that Trammel and SCLC national treasurer Spiver Gordon are involved in the misappropriation of $569,000 from the civil rights group. Neither man has been charged.

A white-collar criminal investigation could take a minimum of three months to complete, said Buddy G. Adams, a financial crimes expert who spent 28 years working in the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division.

“Six months to a year is not unusual,” said Adams of San Antonio, Texas.

Federal agents on Thursday were likely to “seize anything they could get, from computers to paperwork to bank accounts at any of the places, anything that might be a part of a crime that’s taken place,” Adams said.

FBI investigators are likely to perform a forensics analysis of the seized computers and documents, said James J. Wedick, a retired FBI agent of 34 years who investigated corruption and fraud.

Investigators will look to see if the money in question was spent “for legitimate services or not,” said Wedick, of Gold River, Calif. They also will look to identify potential victims who contributed money.

“As soon as they get those two formulas worked out, then they will return charges,” Wedick said.

FBI spokesman Michael Brooks could not comment on any possible further searches of SCLC-related properties.

“The warrants yesterday that we executed were sealed, so we can’t comment on the substance of them or where our investigation might lead to,” Brooks said Friday.

Under normal circumstances, the warrants only would be unsealed on the filing of criminal charges, Brooks said. Brooks said there were no incidents Thursday during the execution of three warrants at local SCLC headquarters at 2132 W. Third Street, Trammell’s home at 1505 Olmstead Place and the home of Trammell’s daughter, Angela Goodwine, at 1482 Vernon Drive.

“The people that we encountered (Thursday), all of them were very cooperative with our investigators,” he said.

Contact this reporter at  (937) 225-2419 or dlarsen @DaytonDailyNews.com.

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