PG official indicted on corruption charge

THE WASHINGTON TIMES

A top Prince George's County official, who is also a former high-ranking deputy in the D.C. Office of Inspector General, has been indicted on a conspiracy charge in an ongoing corruption investigation, prosecutors said yesterday.

The Maryland Office of the State Prosecutor yesterday announced that Robert L. Isom, who was fired as deputy director of Prince George's Department of Environmental Resources in May, faces a one-count indictment charging him with conspiring to demand a $250,000 bribe from a company seeking to do business with the county government.

The indictment said that Mr. Isom and one other employee participated in the scheme between last September and February.

Phone messages left at Mr. Isom's home in Upper Marlboro were not returned yesterday.

Maryland State Prosecutor Robert A. Rohrbaugh said he could not comment on the indictment.

"The only thing I can say is that the grand jury investigation is continuing," he said.

Mr. Isom worked in the Department of Environmental Resources from July 2004 to May.

Previously, he served as deputy director for inspections and evaluations at the D.C. Office of Inspector General.

Mr. Isom, 69, unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the Prince George's Council in 1994.

-- Jim McElhatton