STEUBENVILLE–Two months after they raided Eastern Gateway Community College’s administrative offices, the Auditor of State’s Special Investigations Unit still won’t say exactly what it is they’re looking for.

The state denied a Herald-Star request Wednesday for copies of the search warrant, supporting documentation and an inventory of items seized during that raid, saying those documents “are protected under the CLEIRs exception to the public records act.”

During that raid, coordinated by the Ohio Auditor of State’s Special Investigation Unit, employees have said records and computers were seized, both from campus offices and an off-campus storage site.

By law anyone can request copies of public records in Ohio, including investigatory records. However, law enforcement generally can withhold documents if their disclosure would identify an uncharged suspect; identify a confidential source; reveal specific confidential investigatory techniques or specific investigatory work product; or reveal information that could endanger the life or physical safety of a law enforcement officer, a crime victim, a witness or a confidential informant.

In denying the Freedom of Information request, state officials said releasing the warrant, supporting documents or seized information could disclose the identity of an “uncharged suspect” — the target or targets of the investigation.

While state officials refuse to say who that might be, reports also have surfaced that personal banking records of some employees have been subpoenaed by the state–and that the employees were notified by their banks, not the state, that they were under scrutiny.

Eastern Gateway Community College Education Association President Jim Corrin said affected individuals report the records that were subpoenaed date to 2015 — the same year Jimmie Bruce took over as EGCC president. Bruce served in the post until January 2020 when he resigned.

Bruce was indicted in August on felony theft charges and allegations he’d unlawfully benefited from a public contract, but on Jan. 3 — one day before the campus was raided — those charges were dismissed without prejudice, which means prosecutors can, if they choose, refile them.

Sources in the law enforcement community not involved in the EGCC investigation say a sudden dismissal of charges can also be an indication that someone is cooperating with authorities, though no one is saying that is what’s happening in Bruce’s case.

“I know bargaining unit members whose bank records have been subpoenaed,” Corrin confirmed. “I don’t know of anybody else. Obviously, when their records were subpoenaed, they contacted me and I contacted the Ohio Education Association.”

Corrin pointed out that, since cost-cutting measures were instituted by the state, around 30 union members — none of them faculty members — have lost their jobs.

“As far as I know, no one from the administration has (lost their job),” he said, “and the administration should be held accountable, the administration should answer questions — they owe it to taxpayers.”