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Press Release

Baltimore City Police Officer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Theft

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Maryland
Undercover Operation Obtained Video Recording of Defendant Stealing Cash from a Fictitious “Crime Scene”

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz sentenced Baltimore City Police officer Maurice Lamar Jeffers, age 47, of Savage, Maryland, today to a year and a day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for theft of government property and stealing property as a federal officer. Judge Motz also ordered Jeffers to forfeit $3,000.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; and Maryland U.S. Marshal Johnny Hughes.    

“The agents carried out an undercover operation and obtained a video recording of the defendant stealing cash while he believed he was executing a search warrant,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “I want to thank the officers of the Baltimore Police Department and other agencies that assisted in this investigation.”

Jeffers has been a sworn member of the Baltimore Police Department for the last 12 years, and was assigned as a Task Force Officer (TFO) to the U.S. Marshals’ Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force (CARFTF).  As a TFO, Jeffers received special deputation to execute arrest and search warrants supporting the federal task force. Jeffers was responsible for locating and arresting offenders who had active local and federal arrest warrants and assisting in locating individuals for other jurisdictions and agencies upon request.

According to court documents and information provided to the court at his plea hearing, acting on information provided by a confidential source, law enforcement conducted a covert operation in which Jeffers was recorded stealing approximately $3,000 in cash. The cash belonged to the FBI.    

Jeffers was told to secure a location with another investigator so that a local law enforcement agency could later execute a search warrant.  Jeffers entered the location and conducted a brief protective sweep with the other investigator. Jeffers then told the other investigator to go tell other CARFTF members that no one was located inside the location.  After the other investigator left the room, Jeffers conducted an illegal search and located the cash hidden by law enforcement, which he placed into his pants pockets.  Jeffers kept the money for his own personal gain.  On May 7, 2015, Jeffers was arrested and searched incident to the arrest.  Law enforcement located $220 (eleven $20 bills) on Jeffers that he stole on March 10, 2015.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the Baltimore FBI Public Corruption Task Force, which includes Agents and law enforcement officers from the FBI, IRS, the Baltimore Police Department, the Prince George’s County Police Department and the U.S. Marshals’ Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Rachel M. Yasser, who prosecuted the case.

Updated May 20, 2016

Topic
Public Corruption