Search warrants appear related to Rancho Cucamonga development

FBI and IRS agents executed nine federal search warrants Thursday that appeared to be related to an ongoing public corruption investigation of a Rancho Cucamonga development and its handling by the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.

Among the offices searched were those of Jeffrey Burum, a managing partner at Colonies Partners of Rancho Cucamonga, and of O’Reilly Public Relations in Riverside. One of the properties is associated with GOP operative and former state Sen. James L. Brulte.

FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said that the identities of the targets of the warrants were under court seal and that the nature of the investigation could not be disclosed.

In May, former San Bernardino County Supervisor Paul Antoine Biane and Burum were named in a 29-count indictment that includes charges of bribery, extortion and misappropriation of public funds.

James Erwin, a former assistant assessor and former chief of staff for Supervisor Neil Derry, and Mark Kirk, a former chief of staff for Supervisor Gary Ovitt, were also named in the indictment.

The corruption case involves a $102-million settlement between the county and Colonies Partners in 2006, four years after the developer filed suit challenging the county’s easement rights over a flood control basin in the middle of a large retail and housing development in Upland.

The Board of Supervisors, acting against the advice of county counsel, voted 3 to 2 to approve the settlement.

In August, a San Bernardino County Superior Court judge dismissed five of the seven charges against Burum. Charges of misappropriation of public funds also were dismissed against the other defendants.

Jason Kinney, a spokesman for Brulte, said the former senator “has cooperated fully and freely with any and all law enforcement entities.”

“It has never been alleged by any authority that Jim had any direct connection to any improper activities, he’s never observed any improper activities, and he’s already provided complete testimony to two different grand juries,” Kinney said.

phil.willon@latimes.com