Investigators raid Oxnard City Hall

Oxnard officials Monday said they were still trying to piece together exactly what led to a raid of city offices by FBI agents and investigators from the Ventura County district attorney’s office.

In a search of Oxnard City Hall that started Friday afternoon and lasted well into the night, investigators went from office to office, seizing “several boxes of documents and materials,” according to a terse city news release. Officials have “limited information regarding the scope of the investigation,” the statement said.

Sources said the probe may have been triggered by allegations of misspending on a massive city water project that is partially funded by the federal government.

“I don’t know its genesis,” said City Councilman Andres Herrera, “but most everything points to that.”

Herrera said investigators interviewed him the day before the raid. At their request, he wouldn’t disclose what they asked. He said numerous other officials also were called in for questioning.

The city has been roiled by disputes over a $250-million Groundwater Recovery Enhancement and Treatment program. Public Works Director Ken Ortega angrily left his post in June after being publicly criticized for cost overruns and spending more than $20,000 in city funds on a grand-opening party for one phase of the water project.

In July, investigators from the district attorney’s office requested documents known as Form 700s, which elected officials and top administrators must fill out to disclose potential conflicts of interest, said City Clerk Daniel Martinez. The investigators also asked for documents that detailed city business with particular companies, which Martinez declined to identify.

Some of the city’s top officials said they were puzzled by Friday’s search.

“I was shocked,” Councilman Bryan MacDonald said, adding that he had not been contacted by investigators.

Christina Aerenlund, a city spokeswoman, said investigators asked her to point out her computer and give them her passwords. Then she was directed to a conference room where she and other employees waited during the search.

“It was completely unexpected,” she said.

FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller confirmed that the agency was assisting with the investigation and had participated in the raid. She said the search warrants were issued by the district attorney’s office.

steve.chawkins@latimes.com

catherine.sailllant@latimes.com