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Wednesday, October 05, 2016

Fighting corruption: 80 indicted

TOWSON, MD — When Gov. Larry Hogan asked Stephen T. Moyer to head the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, one of his main concerns was fighting corruption in the department.

Today we’ve taken a big step toward that goal.

A federal grand jury today indicted 80 defendants – correctional officers, offenders, and outside players – for a racketeering conspiracy which involved smuggled contraband, paying and accepting bribes, and sometimes retaliating with violence against informants.

“I hired Secretary Stephen Moyer with the directive to aggressively root out corruption in our state correctional facilities, and that is exactly what he has done,” Gov. Larry Hogan said in a statement.

Secretary Moyer and Public Safety staff initiated the investigation, asking the FBI and other law enforcement agencies to help. “It was extremely courageous of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to allow the access required to conduct this type of investigation,” Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the FBI’s Baltimore Division said in a statement.

“Public Service is a noble calling,” Secretary Moyer said. “This is not for everyone. You need a burning desire in your heart and soul to do the greater good for others — citizens of this great state.”

With support from the Governor’s Office, the Department of Public Safety is working law enforcement on several initiatives aimed at rooting out corruption and making our facilities and our state safer:

  • Worked with Gov. Larry Hogan, who took the initiative to shut down the disgraced Baltimore City Jail;
  • Bolstered its Internal Investigative Division, assigning employees to work with the FBI, U.S. Attorney, Maryland Attorney General, and State’s Attorneys;
  • Created new contraband interdiction teams to root out smuggling;
  • Increased corruption investigations of staff by nearly 40 percent;
  • Established an easy-to-use anonymous tip line for Public Safety employees;
  • Overhauled our Human Resources leadership, intensifying background checks and mandating polygraph tests for Correctional Officer applicants.
In the continuing spirit of collaboration with our federal partners, we ask anyone with information related to this case to call 1-800-CALL FBI. 

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

35 were inmates, 18 correctional officers and 27 other/outside people.

Anonymous said...

Hope this program is effective because the corruption starts at the top where they recruit / intimidate to assist them in their liberal destruction of MD DOC. That is why I retired out instead of staying in another 8 years. This also means that as the top gets eliminated they will promote the lower level corrupt staff. They will never turn it around with their hiring practices but I wish them the best in attempting to clean up the mess.

Tamalain said...

The first and map showed up at a Newby apartment this morning. The tenant is in corrections, so I have to wonder.

Anonymous said...

They closed the Baltimore jail for massive corruption. They should close down ECI and ship the residents and their keepers back up there where most of them belong. BCDC is waiting, ready for 'em all!

Anonymous said...

This is Yuge. God help us all!

Anonymous said...

That's what happens when the criminals have more rights than the guards.

Anonymous said...

80 now, wait until the heat gets turned up and lips start flapping, this number will most likely grow.

Anonymous said...

743...I agree. They live in luxury. It Def doesn't teach a lesson. Hard crime equals hard time.

Anonymous said...

ECI KILLED OVER 60 OFFICERS STRESSING THEM OUT

CHECK THE LARGE LIST OF WHO / PUT THAT ON HERE

ANY WORKPLACE WITH THIS MANY SHOULD BE INVESIGATED

ONLY GOING TO WAR CAN TOP THESE LOSSES AT A WORKPLACE

Anonymous said...

Anyone remember when I stated on here, multiple times over the years, that guards are as bad as inmates?

Anonymous said...

There are tons of good OFFICERS at ECI. However, when a few do something like this it makes all look bad. This needed to happen. These people are putting the good officer's safety at risk. But please don't judge all because of terrible decisions by a few.

Anonymous said...

The corruption is caused by the Affirmative Hiring practices implemented years ago and the way test scores are divided into three categories so that minorities can be given a passing grade.

Anonymous said...

Glad I retired from there when I did. There are good officers who have worked
there over the years.