Former Maryland State Delegate Pleads Guilty To Federal Charges

BALTIMORE, MD — A former state delegate pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal wire fraud and bribery charges, according to the U.S. District Attorney.

Former State Delegate Cheryl Diane Glenn, 68, of Baltimore, admitted she defrauded the citizens of Maryland to the right to her honest services by accepting bribes for her actions from March 4, 2018, to Feb. 11, 2019, according to federal prosecutors.

"As a public official, Cheryl Glenn's duty was to place should have put the interests of the public above her own. Instead, she accepted more than $33,000 in bribes in exchange for official actions," U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur said in a statement. "We trust our elected officials to make decisions in the best interests of the public, not to use their positions of authority to line their own pockets. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI will hold accountable those who betray the public trust for their own greed."

Her plea agreement said she admitted to the following, officials reported:

• She took $33,750 from an associate to support a bill increasing the number of marijuana grower and processing licenses available to an out-of-state company.
• She led the effort to make laws preferential to in-state medical marijuana license applicants.
• She introduced legislation to decrease the number of years of experience required to be the medical director of an opioid maintenance therapy clinic.
• She introduced legislation that created a class B alcohol and liquor license in District 45.

During her tenure from 2007 to 2019, she represented District 45, which includes Baltimore, and held roles, among others, including chair of the Banking, Consumer Protection and Commercial Law Subcommittee of the Economic Matters Committee; vice chair of the Rules and Executive Nominations Committee; and chair of the Baltimore City Delegation.

When Glenn resigned Dec. 18, she cited "personal reasons," according to the Baltimore Sun.

Related:

• Delegate Cheryl Glenn Charged In Bribery Scandal: Prosecutors

"Elected officials owe the public their honest services," Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Boone said in a statement. "They should be making decisions and taking action based on what is in the best interest of their constituency, not their pocketbook. The FBI is dedicated to rooting out public corruption so that the citizens we serve can feel secure that their officials are serving them, not the highest bidder."