Prince George's County Executive Jack Johnson (D) and his wife Leslie were arrested and charged Friday in federal court for tampering with witnesses and evidence and trying to destroy evidence of a bribe from a local developer. Both asserted their innocence.

The charges against the Johnsons are criminal in nature and could send the Johnsons to jail for up to 20 years, with three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine each. The specific charges are for tampering with witnesses and evidence relating to the commission of a federal offense and the destruction, alteration and falsification of documents in a federal investigation, according to court documents released Friday.

"I'm innocent of these charges, and I just can't wait for the facts to come out," Jack Johnson said as he was flanked by two attorneys at a press conference after the court hearing in Greenbelt. "And when they come out, I am absolutely convinced that I will be — that we will be — vindicated."

According to the U.S. Attorney's affidavit, as early as 2007, the county executive is alleged to have begun receiving payments from an unnamed developer for helping to secure federal grant money for the developer's projects in Prince George's County. One of those payments is reported to include a $100,000 check.

The affidavit also explains that the FBI had been intercepting the county executive's cell phone activity since January 2010. As FBI agents were on the doorstep of the Johnsons' home in Mitchellville Friday morning, a telephone conversation between Jack and Leslie was recorded.

In the discussion, Jack Johnson is reported to have told Leslie to find a check the developer wrote to him. Once she found it, the affidavit reports that he said, "Tear it up! That is the only thing you have to do."

Later, Leslie asks, "Do you want me to put it down the toilet?" The affidavit states that the FBI believes she is talking about the $100,000 check. Johnson answers, "Yes, flush that." After that, investigators reported that they heard a flushing noise in the background.

There was also a discussion on what to do with "the cash down in the basement." Then, Jack Johnson is reported as saying, "Put it in your bra or something, I don't know what to do with it." His wife reportedly replied, "I have it in my bra."

The agents met Leslie Johnson at the door later, and upon searching her person, found $79,600 in her underwear.

In addition to the $100,000 check, the affidavit alleges that Johnson received $5,000 in cash from the developer, referred to as Developer A, around Nov. 5 of this year.

The document states that the same developer gave Johnson $15,000 in cash Friday in exchange for the county executive to use his position to benefit Developer A's businesses. When the FBI entered the room where the payment had been made, Johnson said the money was for a party for the end of his tenure as county executive. Johnson also is reported as saying that he "had no business dealings with Developer A."

The Johnsons appeared in front of Judge William Connelly at 4:38 p.m. to hear the charges against them. Jack wore a light khaki shirt and dark khaki pants; Leslie was in all black.

Leslie Johnson is a council member elect in District 6 of the county. The county executive has three more weeks left in his last term in office. His successor, Rushern Baker III, will be sworn in on Dec. 6.

The Johnsons were released on custody, but Jack Johnson will be required to submit to electronic monitoring.

Connelly ruled that neither the county executive nor his wife is allowed to make financial transactions greater than $1,000. However, the judge made an exception for existing mortgages, after one of the Johnsons' attorneys argued that their mortgage payment is $4,000 per month.

Leslie Johnson's lawyer also asked for an exception for Pepco bills, arguing that the Johnsons' electricity bill tops $1,000 per month in the winter.

"Apparently, they eat by electricity in the winter," Connelly joked after granting the exception.

Both Jack and Leslie Johnson are required to turn in their passports by 3 p.m. Monday, the judge ruled.

When speaking to reporters after the hearing, U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein said that he expects to see additional charges come out of this case.

"We do expect there will be additional defendants," he said. "We are not at liberty to talk about the nature of those charges or the identity of the defendants."

Read below for more information on how the events unfolded throughout the day in this case.

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Update, 8:30 p.m.: When asked asked about the remainder of his term, County Executive Jack Johnson said, "I have three weeks to go, and I'm going to put all my efforts to this defense and to take care of this for the people of Prince George's County for the remaining three weeks. I can't tell you how strongly I feel about what I say – I know the facts, and they will be revealed in a manner consistent with what I know to be the truth."

Update, 7:50 p.m.: Around 7:20 p.m., County Executive Jack Johnson and his two attorneys came out of the courthouse and gave a press conference in which Johnson said, "I'm innocent of these charges, and I just can't wait for the facts to come out. And when they come out, I am absolutely convinced that I will be — that we will be — vindicated."

Update, 7 p.m.: At a press conference around 6 p.m. outside the U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Roland Patterson, the attorney for Leslie Johnson, spoke to the crowd of reporters:

"Mrs. Johnson has entered a plea of not guilty to all charges that are being lodged against her. Mrs. Johnson is being released on her own cognizance and has been ordered for such just moments ago. Mrs. Johnson is asking for the prayers and support of all her friends and family members as she goes through the ordeal of fighting to disprove the allegations that are against her."

Update, 6:26 p.m.: The affadavit alleges that Jack Johnson received cash and checks from a developer — including a $100,000 check — in exchange for Johnson's help in securing federal grant money for the developer's projects in Prince George's County. The developer in question is referred to as "Developer A" in the document.

Around Nov. 5 of this year, the document says that Developer A gave Johnson $5,000 in cash.

Today, the document states that the same developer gave Johnson $15,000 in cash in exchange for the county executive to use his position to benefit Developer A's businesses. When the FBI entered the room where the payment had been made, Johnson said the money was for a party for the end of his tenure as county executive. Johnson also is reported as saying that he "had no business dealings with Developer A."

Update, 6:11 p.m.: According to pre-trial conditions set by Judge William Connelly, the Johnsons were released from custody, but Jack Johnson will be required to submit to electronic monitoring.

Connelly ruled that neither the county executive, nor his wife are allowed to make financial transactions greater than $1,000, however he made an exception for existing mortgages, after Johnson's attorney argued that the Johnsons' mortgage payment is $4,000 per month.

Leslie Johnson's lawyer also asked for an exception for Pepco bills, arguing that the Johnson's electricity bill tops $1,000 per month in the winter.

"Apparently, they eat by electricity in the winter," Connelly joked after granting the exception.

Both Jack and Leslie Johnson are required to turn in their passports by 3 p.m. Monday, the judge ruled.

Officials will attempt to set up the wiring for Johnson's electronic monitoring tonight. Until it is in place, Johnson will only be permitted to leave his house for court appointments, doctor appointments, work or to meet with his attorney.

Update, 5:50 p.m.: In the U.S. Attorney's affadavit, the scene of Leslie Johnson's arrest at the Johnsons' Mitchellville home is described.

The FBI had been intercepting phone calls made on Jack Johnson's cell phone since January 2010, and as the FBI agents were at the Johnsons' door around 10 a.m. Friday, a telephone discussion between Johnson and his wife Leslie was recorded.

In it, Jack Johnson tells his wife to find the check that a developer wrote to him. Once she finds it, he tells her, "Tear it up! That is the only thing you have to do."

The Johnsons also discussed what to do with "the cash down in the basement." Jack Johnson is reported as saying, "Put it in your bra or something, I don't know what to do with it." Later, she tells him, "I have it in my bra."

When agents entered the home and met Leslie Johnson at the door, they searched her person and found $79,600 in her underwear.

Update, 5:46 p.m.: Councilman Tom Dernoga said that he had not heard of any of his fellow council members being arrested. He said the majority of them were out of the office today. When asked whether he had been arrested, Dernoga replied, "Not that I know of."

Dernoga was in the county offices until around 2:30 p.m. Friday.

"Contrary to various rumors, while I was in the county offices, I was in touch with the county administrator, and nobody came to our floor looking for anybody," he said.

Dernoga said he had not been contacted by any authorities.

"Nobody was there from the time that I was in the office, looking for anybody or anything," Dernoga said.

5:05 p.m.: Prince George's County Executive Jack Johnson and his wife, Leslie, appeared in court this afternoon after being arrested earlier today. 

They face criminal charges of tampering with witnesses and evidence; and destruction, alteration and falsification of documents.

They each face a maximum sentence of 20 years confinement, three years supervised release and a $250,000.

Countywide rumors began swirling that other County Council members had been arrested along with the Johnsons but Marcia Murphy, a spokeswoman for the U.S. District Attorney's office, said that only two arrests warrants were served today.

County residents said they were shocked to hear that Johnson and his wife had been arrested. Some said that his arrest marks another black eye on the image of Prince George's County.

"It's a very sad situation that the County Executive would be arrested," said Mike Little of Fort Washington, a political analyst who supported Johnson during his initial candidacy for County Executive. "We should not rush to judgment. An elected official [being arrested by federal agents] adds to the historically negative [image] of the county."

For the original account of the Johnsons' arrest, see this story.