Margate City Commissioner Convicted Of Federal Bribery Charges

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Michael B. Steinbach, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, announce that David McLean, 50, a suspended City Commissioner for the city of Margate and board member on the Margate Community Redevelopment Agency (MCRA) Board was convicted by a Ft. Lauderdale federal jury on September 24, 2013, of federal bribery charges. McLean was convicted on counts two and three of a three-count indictment charging him with bribery in a program receiving federal funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 666. McLean was acquitted of the charges in Count one.

According to the allegations in the indictment and the evidence presented at trial, on November 2, 2012, McLean accepted $3,000 in cash in exchange for his influence in connection with a $25,000 MCRA construction grant (Count 2). And on January 30, 2013, McLean accepted another $2,000 in cash in exchange for his influence in connection with the $25,000 MCRA construction grant.

The defendant faces a maximum statutory term of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and restitution as to each of the two counts. Sentencing is scheduled for December 6, 2013, before U.S. District Judge James Cohn in Ft. Lauderdale.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Karadbil.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.