GARY BROWN, JR., FORMER LEGISLATIVE AIDE TO MAYOR PUGH AND CURRENT EMPLOYEE OF MAYOR’S OFFICE, SENTENCED FOR ELECTION LAW VIOLATIONS

State Prosecutor Emmet C. Davitt announced today that Gary Brown, Jr., a former legislative aide to then Senator Pugh and current employee of the Mayor’s Office, was found guilty and sentenced in the Baltimore City Circuit Court for two election law violations stemming from illegal contributions to the Committee to Elect Catherine E. Pugh campaign finance entity. The Honorable Charles J. Peters imposed Probation before Judgment and placed Mr. Brown on one year of supervised probation.

From a Statement of Facts In Support Of Guilty Plea, the court learned that, between January 13, 2016 and April 9, 2016, Mr. Brown, while working for the Mayor’s election campaign, deposited cash into the bank accounts of his mother, step father and brother and then immediately contributed that money in the names of his mother, stepfather and brother to the Pugh campaign. The contributions by Mr. Brown during this period totaled $18,000.00. The maximum amount an individual is allowed to contribute under Maryland law is $6000.00 per election cycle. (see Statement Of Facts In Support Of Guilty Plea)

State Prosecutor Emmet C. Davitt stated: “Election laws are in place to maintain the integrity of the electoral process and foster transparency in the regulation of campaign contributions. Illegal straw contributions in names other than one’s own to evade such laws cannot be tolerated.”