Federal agents descended on City Hall as part of an active investigation now unfolding in the Antelope Valley. Authorities are not saying what they're looking for, or who may be involved.
"Affidavits in support of the warrants have been sealed by the court and I'm unable to comment as to the nature of the investigation," an FBI spokesperson said in a brief statement provided to ABC7.
"There were search warrants served," Lancaster Mayor Rex Parris confirmed in an interview with Eyewitness News.
Parris says federal agents launched an investigation roughly three years ago, primarily focused on now-retired Lancaster Vice Mayor Marvin Crist and City Councilmember Raj Malhi. Parris says the FBI will not provide any details regarding what he calls an ongoing investigation in the city.
"I can tell you that I have served with these men for over 18 years, and in that 18 years, they've always been honorable, and they have never given me any reason to suspect they are doing anything that would rise to corruption," Parris said.
A spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office also verified the operation, telling City News Service, "A search is being executed pursuant to a judicially approved warrant. Since the search warrant affidavit is under seal, we decline further comment."
The mayor says that within the last three years, city attorneys have investigated whether anyone within city government has been involved with anything that could be considered illegal.
"We've looked because, you know, we've known about this investigation now for three years, and we hired lawyers. We hired law firms. Look at every email, look at every text message, and both of them gave up their cellphones and gave up that information," Parris said. "And they cooperated with it. And the lawyers came back to us and said they could find absolutely nothing. Had they found something, I would have acted. But there was, they literally said, 'There is nothing we can see.'"
Jennifer Seguin of the city of Lancaster issued a statement saying the city "is not aware of the details related to FBI actions conducted in the city today. A search warrant was lawfully executed at City Hall, and we are cooperating with federal authorities. City Hall operations and our work for the community continues as normal."
The Los Angeles Times, citing unnamed law enforcement sources, reported that in addition to Lancaster City Hall, warrants were served at the homes of Crist and Malhi, along with a property in Bel Air.
Eyewitness News reached out to Crist and Malhi, but it appears neither of them is speaking publicly about the investigation.
City News Service contributed to this report.