Thirteen Prince George’s County Police Department officers and a retired officer face charges of misconduct in office and theft connected to an alleged double-dipping scheme.
The Prince George’s County State’s Attorney announced on Thursday the indictment by a grand jury.
The charges are connected to a scheme allegedly orchestrated by a former lieutenant who faces federal charges in a separate case. News4 was first to tell you about the ongoing investigation and officers’ suspensions last year.
The alleged crimes didn’t happen on his watch, but at a news conference Thursday, Prince George’s County Police Chief Malik Aziz named each officer charged with felonies and misdemeanors. Most were corporals.
“If the allegations are proven true during the judicial process, their actions not only tarnish the badge we all wear proudly but also erode the community’s trust,” Aziz said.
Disciplinary action and investigations began shortly after the arrest of former police lieutenant Edward Scott Finn.
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Finn operated a security company overseeing 20 apartment complexes in the county. He employed officers he supervised for part-time employment for him while they were supposed to be on duty working for the department. That allegedly allowed them to illegally earn two salaries.
“What you have is a failure in the system, and inadequate policies in place — whether they are in inadequate or lacking — contributed to the circumstances around this whole incident,” Aziz said.
Finn now faces federal tax evasion charges for allegedly not reporting some $1.3 million in income from his business in a separate but related case.
“It is very difficult to have to bring a case like this to the public. However, it is critical to our system of justice that those sworn to protect us operate with integrity,” State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy said.
Investigators were led to Finn shortly after an investigation into former county police corporal Darryl Wormuth. Wormuth was charged with criminal assault after allegedly grabbing a handcuffed 17-year-old boy by the throat.
According to sources with direct knowledge of the investigation, Wormuth’s charges and tips from other officers revealed the alleged scheme.
The police chief said the department has made changes to secondary employment because of what happened, and there are now audits of officers to say they are working a second shift.
If convicted, the officers potentially face up to five years in prison for the felony theft charges. There is no maximum sentence for misconduct in office.
"Fraternal Order of Police, Prince George’s County, Lodge 89 and its membership are shocked to hear of the indictments returned against our officers on August 25, 2022," the police union said in a statement Friday. "It has become increasingly clear that the current administration of the State's Attorney's Office is more focused on pursuing politically motivated prosecutions than addressing the escalating crime statistics in our community. This focus will continue to drive a wedge between hard working officers and the people they serve. We can only hope that this era of political grandstanding, at the expense of our brothers and sisters in uniform, comes to an end before prospective officers are irreparably discouraged from pursuing a career in law enforcement."
Former Police Chief Hank Stawinski ran the department when the alleged scheme operated. The state’s attorneys office said he is not tied to the investigation.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
