Grand Jury to Vet Charges that FHFA Exec Threatened DeMarco

Prosecutors have probable cause to present a grand jury with the felony case against the Federal Housing Finance Agency official accused of threatening to kill former director Edward DeMarco, a judge ruled.

Richard Hornsby, 58, is accused of making a series of threatening comments against DeMarco that eventually escalated into an April 28 incident where he allegedly threatened to shoot DeMarco and then himself.

During the June 3 preliminary hearing, Victor Cunicelli, an operations officer in the FHFA Office of Inspector General, testified on behalf of prosecutors, and a plea offer was stated on the record, according to the case docket in Washington D.C. Superior Court.

Hornsby — who was previously released from custody without bail with the condition that he not assault, threaten, harass or stalk DeMarco — was present for the hearing. His attorney, Marlon Griffith, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The dispute is said to have originated from a disagreement over Hornsby's job performance ratings. DeMarco was taken to a secure location while Hornsby was arrested, which occurred two days before DeMarco's previously announced April 30 retirement.

DeMarco hired Hornsby as the FHFA's first fulltime chief operating officer in November 2011. Previously, Hornsby held various senior management and bank supervision positions during his 26 years at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, click here.
Compliance Originations Servicing Law and regulation
MORE FROM NATIONAL MORTGAGE NEWS