Search warrants were served at several locations Thursday in a small community southeast of downtown Los Angeles, including at Maywood City Hall, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office.
The warrants were served in a case that involves the district attorney's public integrity division, which investigates corruption and elected officials. The office said it could not provide more details about the warrants.
Aerial video showed law enforcement activity at locations in the 1.18-square-mile city of about 27,600 people located 10 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The locations included a residence that, according to a search of property records, is owned by Mayor Ramon Medina, an auto shop and a car wash.
Medina told NBC4 he has done nothing wrong and that the investigation does not involve corruption.
Employees at the car wash told NBC4 that the property is leased from the city's mayor pro tem. Investigators collected paperwork and records at the site early Thursday, employees said.
"It's very sad," said Paula Hernadez, owner of XPress Car Wash. "If he's doing anything bad, they're going to think we're doing something bad, too."
It was not immediately clear whether anyone was arrested and details of the warrants were not released.
The search warrants were executed about four months after a state audit lambasted the city for poor oversight of its operations and finances. In October, the state auditor issued a report finding inadequate oversight of city operations and "significant financial challenges" that were threatening "its ability to provide services to its residents."
The city "has lost substantial amounts of revenue because it has not collected on parking citations and business license fees, and its budgets have not addressed significant overdue debts that threaten its ability to provide city residents with such services as law enforcement and maintenance of public roads."
Vice Mayor Ricardo Villareal is also under scrutiny. His home was searched, as well as XPress Fleet Wash, which operates on property he owns.
Residents say if money was misspent, they want justice.
"The city is a good city to live in," said Carlos Loze, a resident. "For them to be doing what they want is not right. They shouldn't be doing that. Money should be spent right."
Maywood City Councilman Eddie De La Riva says he's been cooperating with the District Attorney's Office for more than a year, and has reported a number of suspicious incidents.
"We're not sure what they're looking at yet," he said.
The DA's Office public integrity division warned Maywood officials in 2016 -- the hiring of a city manager and the award of a large contract during closed-door meetings -- might have violated the state's open meeting laws.
Angie Crouch contributed to this report.
