Federal authorities who have charged a former state environmental official with public corruption subpoenaed a state agency in November 2007 for any records dealing with a company called Agri-Ethanol Products of Raleigh.
That subpoena, obtained today through a public records request, was related to a federal corruption charge against Boyce Allen Hudson, a former N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources official who is accused of trying to expedite permits for an ethanol company — not identified in court documents — in exchange for cash, Dan Kane and Ben Niolet report.
Court records show that Hudson will plead guilty to the charges next week in federal court. Efforts to reach Hudson and his attorney have been unsuccessful.
Officials with Agri-Ethanol Products could not be immediately reached for comment today.
The subpoena also sought information about the agency's dealings with a partnership that figured prominently in the Randy Parton Theatre.
More after the jump.
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The company's president, David L. Brady — who is also named in the subpoena to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources— filed a resignation 12 days after federal investigators served the subpoena, according to state corporation records on file with the Secretary of State's office.
Brady did not immediately return a message Friday. Agri-Ethanol's telephone is no longer in service.
The subpoena sought documents relating to communications between the department, the company and others.
The subpoena also sought information about the agency's dealings with North Carolina's Northeast Partnership, a regional economic development group funded by state and private money that figured prominently in recruiting Randy Parton, brother of country star Dolly Parton for a theater in Roanoke Rapids.
Also named was Rick Watson, a former leader in the partnership. Federal investigators were also interested in the activity of Thomas "Ricky" Wright Jr., a Wake Forest businessman.
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