These inquiries already have produced several indictments, as well as a civil action to recover $2.5 million allegedly stolen by an escrow agent in Fort Worth.

The inquiry produced few indictments because the cases were beyond the statute of limitations, had insufficient evidence, amounted to double jeopardy or the accused had died.

The area has been the subject of a major grand jury investigation that has produced several indictments and guilty pleas.

About 90 percent of the cases presented by his office to grand juries produce indictments, Mr. Murphy noted.

For all of Judge Proctor's efforts, the investigation produced virtually no indictments.

Mr. Starr has sent no signals that the Little Rock grand jury will produce new indictments by May 7.

There are other clues that the government will produce indictments in the future.

The inquiry has produced several indictments since last fall, but today's is the first to implicate Mr. Espy directly.

The Iran-contra independent prosecutor said in an interview today that his six-year inquiry into the scandal was unlikely to produce further indictments.

The Mafia's power in the garbage-hauling industry had been an open secret for decades, but all previous investigations had failed to produce significant indictments.