HOUSTON -- Computers from Houston Council Member Carol Alvarado's district office were seized Friday afternoon, KPRC Local 2 reported.

The computers were not part of Alvarado's mayor pro tem office, which is under investigation after four employees improperly received more than $140,000 in bonuses in 2005.

Alvarado's spokesman said the district attorney's office served a subpoena to the District I council office for six computers and six Blackberries.

"It's a standard part of the investigative process in any situation like this When the district attorney needs information, wants to see what e-mails have been exchanged, that kind of thing, they'll take computers from an office, they'll image the hard drives and then they'll return it," spokesman Joe Householder said.

Sources told KPRC that investigators were also downloading financial transactions and records from the mayor pro tem's office dating back several years.

Four people were fired after the office of the inspector general concluded that they received improper raises and bonuses.

Manager Rosie Hernandez and Christopher Mays appealed their terminations Thursday and requested hearings before the civil service commission for municipal employees.

Florence Watkins and Teresa Orta filed their appeals Friday.