Warrants on Taneytown police are sealed
Federal law enforcement officials would not say what they were looking for when their agencies executed sealed search warrants this week at the Taneytown Police Department and a location in Fairfield, Pa. — and offered no timetable for when or if they will.
Marcia Murphy, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Baltimore, said Friday that no additional information would be released until the warrants are unsealed, and there’s no timetable or guarantee that will happen. Whether charges are filed depends on what investigators discover in the searches, Murphy said.
On Thursday, the Carroll County city placed its police chief, William Tyler, and another officer, whom the city declined to identify, on administrative leave.
Federal officials have released few details of the case. Dave Fitz, a spokesman with the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office, confirmed the agency conducted “court authorized law enforcement activity” Tuesday at the police department and in Fairfield.
Meanwhile, an official with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives confirmed that the ATF “was there” when the warrants were served.
The ATF official declined to comment further, and referred questions to the U.S. attorney’s office.
Officials have not named the other officer placed on leave from the Taneytown force, and the federal agencies did not disclose the addresses searched in Fairfield.
On Wednesday, however, the Gettysburg Times reported FBI activity on Mile Trail in Fairfield, an area in Adams County where the wife of Taneytown Police Sgt. Brian Jestes runs a home-based business.
On Friday, the tax department in Adams County confirmed that a Brian Jestes owns property on Mile Trail, and also confirmed that Tyler owns a residence in Fairfield as well.
A roster of the Taneytown Police Department officers shows Tyler and Jestes are the only members of the department that live in Fairfield.
Neither Tyler nor Jestes responded to requests for comment.
Meanwhile, Jim Wieprecht, acting Taneytown city manager, said Friday that the Lt. Jason Etzler, will serve as interim chief.