13 Jun Baltimore police officer faces weapons charge, among others

On behalf of Jack B. Rubin, PA posted in Weapons Crimes on Thursday, June 13, 2013.

While it’s true that criminal charges can be challenging for any individual to have to address, they can be even more problematic for police officers accused of wrongdoing. One police officer with the Baltimore Police Department is now in the midst of a criminal investigation. She is accused of a weapons charge in addition to drug trafficking and aggravated identity theft. The investigation into this alleged misconduct is being conducted by the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office and the charges are all being pursued in federal court.

Authorities allege that the police officer agreed to take money to help someone she believed to be a major drug trafficker with conducting an apparent drug transaction. The officer was supposed to provide cover and did so while in her police uniform, wearing her police-issue gun and while riding in a clearly-marked Baltimore PD vehicle. The woman is also accused of taking a significant amount of money to furnish names and identifying information including social security numbers to assist an identity theft ring.

That apparent identity fraud scheme was intended to steal the identity of certain people in order to file fake income tax returns with the IRS. The police officer allegedly used her access to certain databases granted to law enforcement personnel to obtain the identifying information. These charges are all serious in nature and could result in harsh consequences for this police officer.

Undoubtedly, this woman is already facing repercussions from this weapons charge, along with the other allegations. In the event of a conviction, she could lose her job, be forced to pay financial restitution and even spend time in jail. As a law enforcement official, she may understand the legal process more than the average Baltimore citizen, but she may still benefit from consulting an attorney who is experienced in preparing strong criminal defenses in order to give herself the best chance possible to obtain the most favorable outcome possible.

Source: blogs.citypaper.com, “Baltimore police officer charged in federal gun, drug, and identity-fraud case,” Van Smith, May 31, 2013