Under the cover of their badges, the officers sold seized guns and drugs on the streets, ripped off narcotics dealers and locked up innocent people. Discovery Company. Many people who read this book may come to the same conclusion that former Baltimore mayor Kurt L. Schmoke reached more than three decades ago, when he offered a radical proposal for rooting out the problem. Baltimore police officials say they are working to address not only problems in the department, but also to become more responsive to members of the public. O n a humid summer day in 2004, Davon Mayer stepped out of his house on Bennett Place in the heart of Baltimore.Sixteen years old, Davon was short, plump and baby-faced, still more of a kid than . This includes a Philadelphia police officer, Eric Snell, who had previously been a part of the BPD and had ties to the GTTF. In his plea, Gondo admitted to acting as a lookout during a home invasion, stealing money during arrests and searches as an officer, arranging the sale of a seized gun and marijuana, and taking thousands of dollars in unearned overtime pay from the city. Here are examples of the startling stories of corruption to emerge from the trial: In September 2016, Hersl, Taylor and three other officers allegedly robbed Sergio Summerville, a small-time drug dealer who kept his stash at a storage unit downtown. He is expected to be released in May 2027. Ethan Newberg, right, a 24-year Baltimore Police Department. The incident was caught on closed-circuit television footage after the strip clubs on The Block in the 1400 block of Baltimore Street let out and police were clearing the area. "It could have been any of us. Police Commissioner Michael Harrison released a staffing plan last week that calls for more than doubling the number of internal affairs detectives to help reduce backlogs and respond more swiftly to complaints against officers. Henrietta Middleton and faces up to 10 years in prison. "The larger-than-life career of former New Haven police Lt. William 'Billy' White came to a stunning conclusion Monday when the high-profile lawman was sentenced to more than three years in prison . Testimony and evidence presented during the trial brought to light shocking criminality that continued even as US Justice Department civil rights lawyers investigated Baltimores Police Department. Robert Quick, a Baltimore police lieutenant, was suspended in the middle of an internal investigation in August, according to police. Leader Of Corrupt Baltimore PD Task Force Sentenced To 25 Years Behind Bars. The justice system will rectify things, said Stephen M. Schenning, acting US Attorney for the District of Maryland, according to CNN affiliate WBFF. We can do this three times a year.". This included giving advice to a drug dealer after he discovered a police GPS tracker attached to his car. There were wrongful convictions, the death of an innocent civilian and the mysterious killing of a detective who was shot a day before he was scheduled to testify against the unit. Rivera-Martinez had continuously hit the teen with his taser despite Townes stopping, turning around, kneeling and putting his hands in the air. >> IT WAS A GUT PUNCH TO THE FAMILY. The two men split the proceeds. "The city is accepting responsibility and is being held accountable after the Board of Estimates approved the settlement at its meeting Wednesday morning. REPORTER: THE CITY SAYS ITS NOW PAID OUT MORE THAN $22 MILLION FOR 39 GTTF SETTLEMENTS. It also includes officers sentenced to prison and officers who have been suspended without additional information provided by the department. He stole $20,000 alongside two friends who posed as police officers during a home invasion. Please enter valid email address to continue. The two were both acquitted of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, according to Morse. A Baltimore police officer caught on tape last year beating a suspect went to prison this year. Jenkins pleaded guilty to regularly stealing drugs from the people he stopped or arrested. Former police commissioner Darryl De Sousa was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison in New Jersey after pleading guilty in April to failing to file federal tax returns. Maryland police responded to the crash on northbound I-95 in the Edgewood area, according to State Police. Magazines, David Simon and George Pelecanos on How America Changed Between The Wire and Their New Police Show We Own This City, Or create a free account to access more articles. Three juveniles were arrested Tuesday night after a high-speed chase that led officers across state lines. Gondo, 36, was a member of the corrupt Gun Trace Task Force and was the only officer in the case to be charged as part of two separate criminal conspiracies, originally facing a possible sentence of 60 years. This article was published more than1 year ago. April 29, 2022 / 11:30 PM A veteran police sergeant filmed allegedly arresting, threatening and harassing innocent men faces a slew of charges. We are re-training, re-learning and re-teaching a better way to deliver police services here in Baltimore," Commissioner Michael Harrison said. But soon he was charged with second-degree assault and misconduct while in office, and the other officer - a partier in the club - had all of her charges dropped by prosecutors. Jenkins took half the money and two kilos of cocaine, then told the officers to reseal the safe and create a cell phone video pretending to open it for the first time, finding only $100,000 inside. Veteran former Baltimore police officer Michael Gentil was sentenced to five years in prison for drawing a gun on a person who threw tea on his car while he was off-duty on Edison Highway in East Baltimore. REPORTER: THE FAMILY FILED A LAWSUIT CLAIMING CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS THE CASE WAS SET FOR TRIAL IN MAY. One officer routinely carried a BB gun as insurance, knowing he could always drop it at a crime scene if he got into a jam by, say, shooting an unarmed suspect. They would see who ran out of the group, chase them, and detain them. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. But soon he was charged with second-degree assault and misconduct while in office, and Middleton who was partying in the club had all of her charges dropped by prosecutors. THE COUNTRIES TASK FORCE WAS -- GUN TRACE TASK FORCE WAS ALLOWED TO RUN THE CITY STREETS AND ILLEGALLY STOP AND PURSUE INNOCENT PEOPLE. After Jenkins' arrest, federal agents found a huge cache of tools and weapons including brass knuckles, an 18-inch (46cm) machete, a sledgehammer, a grappling hook and several black masks which his former subordinate officers testified he intended to use for home invasions. Four of the officers who pled guilty testified against their former colleagues, along with drug dealers who struck deals for more lenient sentences. Who were the members of the Gun Trace Task Force (GTTF)? Racially disparate impact is present at every stage of BPDs enforcement actions, from the initial decision to stop individuals on Baltimore streets to searches, arrests, and uses of force.. Two former Baltimore Police officers sentenced to a combined 454 years in federal prison for shaking down citizens in the early 2000s had their prison terms reduced to 20 years each by a federal judge Monday. Gentil resigned in October after working on the force for 24 years. If anyone ran, the officers would chase after them. Kings attorney, Levin, also represented Jenkins. Jenifer Wicks, Taylors attorney, had accused the government of building a conspiracy case with witnesses plucked from the depths of the criminal underworld, according to WBAL-TV. Baltimores grim realities have been mined by talented writers like D. Watkins, Wes Moore and, most famously, celebrated author and TV producer David Simon, whose books and television series Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets, The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood and The Wire deftly illuminated Charm Citys complex web of problems. Family seeks justice from city after crash involving GTTF, Family of man killed in 2010 crash linked to GTTF case files lawsuit, Baltimore pays out $575K in latest Gun Trace Task Force settlement, Lawyer of man who went to jail behind GTTF allegations talks settlement, GTTF police misconduct cases costs Baltimore another $500K, Rapper Young Moose to get $300K from city in Gun Trace Task Force settlement, Independent investigator releases Gun Trace Task Force report, I-Team: City taxpayers have spent over $14M to cover GTTF settlements, City set to pay out more than $10M in GTTF settlements, City Board of Estimates to consider more than $500K payout related to GTTF lawsuit, $1.1M in police misconduct settlements approved in Baltimore, Court rules city on hook for settlements in 2 Gun Trace Task Force lawsuits, Attorney: Baltimore City shouldn't have to pay settlements in GTTF case, Mosby seeks to have 790 'tainted' convictions thrown out, Leaders question if Baltimore should be financially responsible for GTTF lawsuits, Report details taxpayer payouts in Baltimore police misconduct cases, Lawsuit against former gun squad members seeks $40M, Former detectives found guilty in corruption trial, Get the WBAL-TV app; Sign up for email alerts, Baltimore pays out $575K in latest GTTF settlement. When they found out that the couple had $40,000 in a house outside the city, they went to the house and took $20,000. Stay up to date on the news from Silicon Valley, and how to take back control of your data and devices. The scope of the crimes and allegations are broad and follow a particularly notorious 2018, which included federal arrests and trials of officers of the Gun Trace Task Force, and another officer charged with drug trafficking. Richard Gonzales. Our story yesterday https://t.co/kaGvIzQ05U @wjz pic.twitter.com/pVFvkOTLtV. "We think the settlement is warranted due to the egregious facts in this case," said John Solter, an attorney for the family.Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, a member of the Board of Estimates, said this case exemplifies the need for police reform, training and oversight. Carmine Vignola, left, shown walking with his lawyer Gary Proctor, pled guilty for making false statements to a grand jury relating to the GTTF investigation. But perhaps the officers most insidious crime was how they helped undermine confidence in a police force in dire need of much more citizen cooperation. The suspects, sometimes as many as 50 per night, were robbed of drugs and money. All but one of its members was indicted on robbery, extortion and overtime fraud in March 2017 after a lengthy investigation by the FBI. THE BOARD OF ESTIMATES APPROVED A SIX MILLION DOLLAR SETTLEMENT. According to Allers' plea agreement, the man was later shot and killed by another man because he could not repay a drug-related debt. Did you encounter any technical issues? Former Baltimore Police detectives Daniel Hersl, left, and Marcus Taylor. "We think the settlement is warranted due to the egregious facts in this case," said John Solter, an attorney for the family. For the series of police commissioners and mayors that Baltimore went through during the units crime spree, those statistics offered a good enough proxy for progress. U.S. District Judge Catherine Blake handed down the punishment to former Gun Trace Task Force member Daniel Hersl, who had a reputation as a dirty officer stretching back years. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - 35-year-old Marvin Edmonds II was arrested yesterday and charged with the shooting of a 39-year-old man in Eastern Baltimore on February 19th. Evodio Calles Hendrix, 32, of . Troy Snell, a former police officer in Baltimore and Philadelphia, was sentenced to nine years in federal prison in April for helping a member of the Gun Trace Task Force sell drugs on the street in Baltimore. Townes had stopped while passing through the area when officers were arresting a person. Rebuilding the Departments relationship with the community and restoring the publics trust in the Department are among Commissioner Harrisons highest priorities, police spokesman Matt Jablow wrote in a response to questions from the Sun. A jury convicted OSullivan, 44, in October after finding he lied in court about a criminal case. Baltimore City officials agreed to pay $6 million to the family of Elbert Davis Sr. who was killed in 2010 during a high-speed car chase that involved the Gun Trace Task Force, a notorious unit of the Baltimore City Police Department, that lied to officials and robbed citizens. In March 2017, eight members of the Gun Trace Task Force ("GTTF"), a unit within the Baltimore City Police Department ("BPD"), were indicted and arrested on federal charges of robbery, extortion, overtime fraud, and selling drugs seized during police operations. They said they entered Stevensons Baltimore home without a warrant and broke open a safe. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Officials later reported that no one had been injured and the gun, carried by a man seen on a security camera, had discharged accidentally. Whether youre a lifelong resident of D.C. or you just moved here, weve got you covered. Baltimore is in need of significant reforms within our criminal justice system and we must collectively strengthen our efforts to regain public trust, Baltimore States Attorney Marilyn Mosby said in a statement after the verdict. Six pleaded guilty, including Sergeant Wayne Jenkins, the unit's leader since June 2016. Rivera-Martinez, 32, was found guilty by a Baltimore City Circuit Court jury for beating then 16-year-old Melvin Townes in the face and head repeatedly with his taser after chasing him on North Gay Street at about 2 a.m. on July 5, 2016. Watch. The officers attorneys noted that former Gun Trace Task Force Sgt. He resigned four months later amid the tax charges. During the trial, Gondo testified he and another officer planned a burglary, which included using a police tracking device to determine when their target was not home. Officers not directly associated with the GTTF have been charged and convicted in connection with events that occurred more than a decade ago, the report says. Wayne Jenkins once showed squad members a grappling hook with a rope, sledgehammer, machete, masks and other items he kept in his patrol car while on duty. Magazines, Digital When he was arrested, federal agents found unregistered assault rifles, cocaine residue, and razors in his home. Write to Josiah Bates at josiah.bates@time.com. In a 2016 incident, officers stopped and arrested a couple who had been leaving a Home Depot, even though there was no evidence that the couple committed a crime. A video surfaced online of a Baltimore police officer repeatedly punching a man. He was later dismissed from the department. Gladstone faces up to 10 years in federal prison. The men were convicted of robbery, extortion, and drug and handgun offenses, which each had penalties that were stacked at sentencing. Their crimes, which went on for about a decade before officers in the unit were arrested in 2017, seemed straight out of the movies. The employee said that, when he demanded a search warrant, one officer told him he looked like somebody that needed to be robbed.. Officer Michael OSullivan was sentenced to 15 months in prison on Dec. 4 for perjury and misconduct in office. He also admitted planting 28g of heroin on a man who was then sent to prison. Baltimore, Md.--9/23/19-- BCPD Det. Where are they now? 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Hersl, Taylor and the other officers carried out brazen crimes at a time of strained community relations, following the April 2015 death of Freddie Gray while in police custody. February 26, 2023. As history has shown, the proposal did not get very far. Another convicted former detective, Maurice Ward, testified that some officers in the task force kept BB guns in their vehicles in case they needed to plant them on suspects, according to WBAL-TV. Prosecutors found that it was not possible that OSullivan could have witnessed the handgun being tossed. Last week, prosecutors tacked on 32 new, but similar charges after reviewing video taken from Newbergs body warn camera over several months. 7 Baltimore officers accused of abusing power, robbing citizens. From the bench, Baltimore Circuit Judge Yolanda Tanner said Williams repeated blows to McGrier were without justification." Some people are upset at the way iPhones charge. Gaff ordered a male passenger out of a vehicle in South Baltimore and pushed and hit the man when he failed to show his identification, according to prosecutors. Stepp testified that the sergeant told him he simply waited and ripped off looters leaving shuttered pharmacies with stolen drugs. For good measure, some cops in the unit stole scads of overtime from the city, at times even collecting it while they were on vacation. Former Baltimore cop Jemell Rayam was sentenced to 12 years in prison in May for robbing people over the course of a decade as a part of the final sentencing for members of the Gun Trace Task Force. 2023 Cable News Network. Cellphone video outside of the Custom House Avenue strip club around 1:20 a.m. showed an officer pulling Middleton, who was off-duty, to the ground by her shirt collar. appreciated. Baltimore city Police Captain Darryl Murphy was suspended in June, but the department declined to provide additional comments as to why. "This is a relief, yes," Johnson said. They robbed suspected drug dealers (some of whom may not have been dealers), sold stolen drugs, illegally used GPS devices to track robbery targets and planted evidence. / CBS Baltimore. Former Baltimore police officer Arthur Williams, 26, was found guilty of second-degree assault in June after body-camera footage that went viral showed him punching a man several times in East Baltimore on a sidewalk in 2018. plea agreement for misconduct in office and drunk-driving charges. BPD's response was to put Sergeant Wayne Jenkins in charge of the Gun Trace Task Force ("GTTF") in 2016. Mr. Marlon Koushall arrested fellow officer Sgt. Jenkins is expected to be released in 2038. The officers had plead not guilty. The GTTF Scandal. They needed to make sure the city was held accountable," said Judson Lipowitz, an attorney for the family.In the April 2010 crash, then-members of the GTTF were chasing a car for about 45 seconds. Ran, the proposal did not get very far both acquitted of possession of a Baltimore police detectives Hersl. 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