7 Baltimore Police Officers Indicted In Racketeering Scheme

BALTIMORE, MD — Seven Baltimore police officers were arrested Wednesday on federal racketeering charges, U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein announced.

The case began in 2015 when the DEA found evidence of corruption by a Baltimore City police officer during a drug investigation, according to Rosenstein. Then the FBI was brought in for a covert examination.

During the course of the probe, Rosenstein said officials found a "pernicious conspiracy scheme" in which members of the Baltimore Police Department's Gun Trace Task Force allegedly stopped individuals who in some cases had not committed crimes and then pocketed the people's cash and belongings.

The officers acted like "1930s-style gangsters, as far as I'm concerned," Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis said, adding that most law enforcement officials were "embarrassed by this."

The following policemen were charged for their alleged involvement in a racketeering conspiracy and for racketeering offenses that included robbery, extortion and overtime fraud, the U.S. Attorney reported:

• Detective Momodu Bondeva Kenton Gondo, aka "GMoney" and Mike, 34, of Owings Mills
• Detective Evodio Calles Hendrix, 32, of Randallstown
• Detective Daniel Thomas Hersl, 47, of Joppa
• Sergeant Wayne Earl Jenkins, 36, of Middle River
• Detective Jemell Lamar Rayam, 36, of Owings Mills
• Detective Marcus Roosevelt Taylor, 30, of Glen Burnie
• Detective Maurice Kilpatrick Ward, 36, of Middle River

The indictment alleges the racketeering had been going on since 2015. It detailed a handful of extortion and robbery cases, including this one from July 2016: According to the indictment, Detective Rayam filed a false affidavit to search a residence. He claimed that he, Sergeant Jenkins and Detective Gondo had conducted surveillance and found the man who lived there — "R.H." — traveled to a residence in Elkridge and was there for 80 minutes when in reality Rayam and Gondo were at home during the purported surveillance.

Gondo, Rayam and Hersl then conducted a traffic stop and found R.H. had $3,400 in cash on him, which Rayam stole, the indictment alleges.

Officers then took R.H. and a woman to an off-site police facility, where Sergeant Jenkins posed as a federal officer and asked if there was money in the home; according to the indictment, the residents directed officers to two heat-sealed packages containing a total of $70,000. Court documents state that the couple operated two assisted living facilities; R.H. bought and sold cars with cash at auto auctions; and R.H. "made significant income from gambling at the Maryland Live! casino." Police allegedly stole $20,000 and asked R.H. if he could provide the name of someone else they could rob, for which he would be rewarded with "10 kilos" of drugs to sell, according to court filings.

The indictment alleges that in addition to individuals, the officers stole from the department, billing for overtime when they were not on the job. In one case, Sergeant Jenkins allegedly said he was working for several days when he was on vacation in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

According to the police commissioner, multiple officers were not surprised when they learned of the charges. That was a problem because nobody had spoken up, he said — instead, it took a yearlong federal investigation to bring the issues to light.

Said Davis: "We have to break through this culture of looking the other way."

Anyone who believes they may have information about cases involving the officers charged in the corruption conspiracy may call 1-800-CALL FBI (1-800-225-5324).

Each officer charged in the racketeering conspiracy faces a maximum 20-year prison sentence.

Detective Gondo also faces a mandatory 5 year-sentence for conspiracy to distribute at least 100 grams of heroin and a maximum of 20 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine.

Photos courtesy of Baltimore Police.