Four Edgewood residents and one Aberdeen resident were among 17 Baltimore City police officers charged Wednesday in an extortion conspiracy.
According to U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein, the officers were paid by an unauthorized towing company to arrange for their company to provide various services. Each instance netted an officer approximately $300, with total payouts to individual officers over the two-year scheme ranging from $300 to $14,400, according to Rosenstein.
If convicted, the officers each face 20 years in prison.
From Rosenstein’s office:
Baltimore, Maryland – A criminal complaint was filed today charging 17 Baltimore City Police officers and two brothers who own a car repair shop with conspiring to commit extortion in connection with a scheme in which the repair shop owners paid police officers to arrange for their company, rather than a city-authorized company, to tow vehicles from accident scenes and make repairs. More than 80 law enforcement officers executed the arrest warrants and two federal search
warrants.
“The criminal complaint alleges that the officers were secretly working for a private auto repair business when they were supposed to be working for the police department and the citizens of Baltimore,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “Police officers cross a bright line when they take payments from private citizens in connection with their official duties.”
“I will not tolerate any criminal activity that undermines the integrity of the Baltimore Police Department and the many sacrifices our officers make each and every day,” stated Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III. “And I thank our federal partners for their assistance in this investigation.”
“When police officers are engaged in illegal activity, it disengages the public trust and can’t be tolerated,” stated Special
Agent in Charge Richard A. McFeely of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. “The FBI enjoys a close and productive relationship with the Baltimore Police Department and will continue to work with their dedicated members in rooting out criminal activity and corruption at all levels.”
The criminal complaint was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein, Special Agent in Charge Richard A. McFeely of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III.
The following defendants, all from Maryland, are charged in the conspiracy:
Hernan Alexis Moreno Mejia (Moreno), age 30, of Rosedale;
Moreno’s brother, Edwin Javier Mejia, age 27, of Middle River;
Eddy Arias, age 39, of Catonsville;
Eric Ivan Ayala Olivera, age 35, of Edgewood;
Rodney Cintron, age 31, of Middle River;
Jhonn S. Corona, age 32, of Rosedale;
Michael Lee Cross, age 28, of Reisterstown;
Jerry Edward Diggs, Jr., age 24, of Baltimore;
Rafael Concepcion Feliciano Jr., age 30, of Baltimore;
Jaime Luis Lugo Rivera, age 35, of Aberdeen;
Kelvin Quade Manrich, age 41, of Gwynn Oak;
Luis Nunez, age 33, of Baltimore;
Samuel Ocasio, age 35, of Edgewood;
David Reeping, age 41, of Baltimore;
Jermaine Rice, age 28, of Owings Mills;
Leonel Rodriguez Torres, age 31, of Edgewood;
Marcos Fernando Urena, age 33, of Baltimore;
Osvaldo Valentine, age 38, of Edgewood; and
Henry Yambo, age 28, of Reisterstown.
The Baltimore Police Department requires that when police request vehicle towing services, they only use towing companies that are under contract with the City of Baltimore to provide towing services for the BPD.
Defendants Moreno and Mejia are brothers who own Majestic Auto Repair Shop LLC (Majestic), located in Rosedale, Maryland. Majestic provides towing and automobile repair services. Majestic is not an authorized tow company with the City of Baltimore. The remaining defendants are Baltimore Police Officers (BPD Officers).
According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, the general pattern of the extortion scheme allegedly consisted of the following: from January 2009 to the present, the BPD Officers were either dispatched by the police department to the scene of an accident, or otherwise showed up at the scene. Shortly after arriving at the accident scene, the BPD Officer would call Moreno, or use the vehicle owner’s cell phone to call Moreno, and provide Moreno with details about the accident and the damage to the vehicle. The BPD Officer would then allegedly inform the vehicle owner that Majestic could tow the car, provide auto repair services, help with the insurance claim, assist in getting a rental car and waive the deductible. The BPD Officer allegedly would further direct the owner not to call the
insurance company until after speaking with Moreno.
The affidavit further alleges that a Majestic truck, or a truck from another towing company used by Majestic, would then arrive at the scene and tow the vehicle to Majestic, even if the vehicle was not actually disabled. In some instances, the vehicle was driven to Majestic by Moreno or the owner. The complaint alleges that the BPD Officer would falsely state in his police report, if one was prepared, that the vehicle owners arranged for their own tow, or the BPD Officer would intentionally leave the box blank in the report as to towing or vehicle removal method. A claim was then submitted to the insurance company for payment for repairs allegedly made by Majestic to the towed vehicle. If the car stayed at Majestic, Moreno and the BPD Officer would later arrange to meet so that Moreno could pay the BPD Officer in cash or check for steering the car owner to use Majestic for tow and automobile repair services.
According to the affidavit, the defendant police officers received approximately $300 for each vehicle they steered to Majestic. According to the affidavit, during the two year scheme, officers received payments totaling from $300 to more than $14,400.
Each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the extortion conspiracy. Initial appearances for the defendants are scheduled to begin this afternoon.
A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Kathleen O. Gavin and Tonya Kelly Kowitz, who are prosecuting the case.
Could most of these Officers be imports from Puerto Rico? The city has been looking outside to find Officers.
They hired bus loads down Puerto rico. you know the back ground check was screwed up. a third would county. no real documentation there.
Idiots like this just make the job that much harder for the rest of us.
Haha wow these guys are idiots! Makes me laugh, glad they were able to catch all 17 officers!
@ Ernie, Puerto Rico has Commonwealth status and is part of the United States of America and individuals that are born in Puerto Rico are citizens of the United States travelling freely to and from the Continental United States not requiring a passport.
Again racists comments on the Dagger! Puerto Rick is not a third world country and only an idiot would make an uneducated comment like this. As for the officers involved, they are regular people like everyone else and make mistakes or lasps of judgement. Holefuy they will pay the same price us regular people pay when we make a mistake. And please Harford Countians, don’t be so shallow as to think that like this don’t run through your police departments. Things lime kick backs and steroids were rampant when I worked up there. Right Henry.
You know hippo, from small minded (racists) people come small minded (racists) comments.
And I believe you on the steroids thing. I remember one cop named Chuck who blew up in size and didn’t hide his steroid use at all.
This is yet another black mark for policing. Some are already drawing conclusions, based on the names, that most, if not all, are from outside the U.S. Perhaps some are, but that does not necessarily explain their behavior. Greed is likely a better explanation . . . maybe stupidty.
Anyone here looking for a job? It appears that BPD will have 17 vacancies if these individuals are convicted.
20 years for these poor guys! I am sure they are just suffering from Post Tramatic Stress. I say we let them just plead guilty and do some home detention with Forwood here in Harford County. I hope they are friends with Bane too! (yes, this is sarcasm)
Yeah too bad these poor smos don’t know Jesse Bane. Jesse Bane let Forwood sit at home and collect $107,000.
Jesse Bane should be fired…..
Lawman, you obviously don’t know the law. The sheriffs office was required to pay him because it was an ongoing case, it wasn’t a decision by Bane.
Are you that naive or just a Bane supporter. Do you really believe that Bane didn’t ensure this case dragged along so that Forwood could continue being paid and that it wouldn’t stain Bane’s campaign. There were certainly “decisions” made that allowed throwing the quote “the law” to be used to scapegoat action.
Actually KiddingMe, it’s neither. I just know the facts about what is going on. It’s a shame you just don’t know what you are talking about on the matter.
Kiddingme,
I think you are kidding yourself. Your comments are incorrect. Baltimore County P.D. investigated the case and had no reason to drag on the case to benefit Sheriff Bane and his election bid. When to charge was a decision made by the prosecutor. Sheriff’s Bane’s decision to keep Mark Forwood on the payroll is one he will have to defend to a few if he decides to run in again in four years. What we don’t know is whether the Sheriff’s decision was based on the advice of the County law department and/or the advice of the attorney general who represents Sheriff’s in this state in these types of matters. So before you continue to make a fool of yourself, perhaps you should check into that (or are you such a Bane hater that determining all the facts is not necessary).
just had to laugh a little at that…….funny (although an unfortunate situation)
I found the allegations in this article incredibly disheartening. In fact the events mentioned in the article were almost as disheartening as the small-minded comments in response.
There is no shortage of stupid people who say and do stupid things. We can only condemn their behavior if we strive to attain a higher level in ourselves.
Intentionally lowering the standard on civil behavior is reprehensible and should be condemned. And in this I refer as much to the ill-mannered comments as to the criminal behavior.
Henry Yambo has a facebook page and is friends with that other criminal Edwin Javier Mejia. hhaha idiots
I’m suddenly hungry for refried beans.
GREED is def. something, racism is a very strong likely target when person(s) are HATIN ,how many help 2 start such a rediculous scheme….How much more some officers are capiable of doing ????SAD
If what was alleged is true, they should all be prosecuted. Where was the City’s Office of Inspector General during this mess? They should be periodically reviewing all contracts and seeking out ways in which private sector companies make extra $ off of city contracts. Can’t wait to see if any member of the State legislature has an interest in any of the towing companies. How does Harford County handle this type of towing situation?
Maybe now the State’s Attorney General Office will launch a probe of the Bail Bond business to see how many State Legilators have interests in these type companies and whether they are using their influence to prevent the much needed reform to that industry.
Good bye good old boy network!
FED UP, you are just wrong on all accounts man. Comments like yours make you sound like a moron.