Federal grand jury in Trenton Mayor Tony Mack corruption case meets as deadline nears

Mack is charged with agreeing to take $119,000 in bribes to assist a developer, who was working as an FBI informant, with a city parking garage project

TRENTON -- The federal grand jury reviewing evidence in the corruption case against Trenton Mayor Tony Mack is meeting this morning as the deadline for an indictment nears next week.

FBI Special Agent Michael Doyle, who signed the criminal complaint against Mack when he was arrested in September, was seen entering the grand jury room at the Clarkson S Fisher Federal Courthouse in Trenton this morning with two document boxes. He left after about 20 minutes.

Mack is charged with agreeing to take $119,000 in bribes to assist a developer, who was working as an FBI informant, with a city parking garage project. Mack's brother Ralphiel Mack and a longtime supporter Joseph "JoJo" Giorgianni were charged with helping to solicit the bribes and funneling the money to the mayor.

The current deadline for the grand jury review is Tuesday, though the U.S. Attorney's Office could also seek a continuance in the case for additional time. A continuance has previously been granted in the case. Grand jury proceedings are closed to the public and the U.S. Attorney's Office has declined to comment on the status of the review.

Three weeks ago, former Mack acting director of Housing and Economic Development Carmen Melendez spent about 2 1/2 hours before the same grand jury. While leaving, she declined to comment about what she had testified to.

Mack has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing and refused calls for him to step down since his house was first raided by FBI agents in July. The search coincided with searches at the homes of his brother and Giorgianni. FBI agents also searched Giorgianni's business, JoJo's Steak House in Trenton, along with a purported "club house" next door.

The next day, FBI agents swarmed City Hall seeking documents and records. Subpoenas were issued to several key city departments that oversee contracts and real estate.

Mack was arrested Sept. 10 along with his brother and Giorgianni, and all three men were charged with a single count of attempted extortion. The grand jury could return an indictment on the charge, expand to include other charges, or decline to charge.

The FBI investigation into Mack started in September 2010, just two months after the first-term mayor took office. At least two cooperating witnesses are cited in the complaint and the FBI made extensive use of wire taps on the phones of Mack, Giorgianni and the cooperating witnesses.

While the total agreed bribe was $119,000, the witnesses working on behalf of the FBI sting paid $54,000 before the July raids, authorities have said.

Mack's attorney Mark Davis said Monday that the mayor would not consider any offer of a plea deal in the case.

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