BALTIMORE _ Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh has placed Police Commissioner Darryl De Sousa on paid leave pending the resolution of three federal criminal tax charges against him, she announced Friday.
"Upon review of the circumstances surrounding Commissioner De Sousa's failure to file tax returns for successive years I have placed him on paid suspension effective immediately," Pugh said at a news conference Friday.
Deputy Commissioner Gary Tuggle, a former top-ranking Drug Enforcement Administration official tapped by De Sousa in March to oversee strategic and support services for the department, will serve as acting commissioner in De Sousa's absence, officials said.
The decision to have De Sousa step back comes one day after a federal judge unsealed three misdemeanor tax charges against him, alleging he willfully failed to file federal taxes in 2013, 2014 or 2015. De Sousa, 53, later admitted guilt in a statement on Twitter, saying his "only explanation" for not filing federal or state taxes in those years was that he "failed to sufficiently prioritize (his) personal affairs."
De Sousa, a 30-year veteran of the city police force, faces up to a year in prison and $75,000 in fines. His initial court appearance had not been scheduled.
Pugh, who appointed De Sousa commissioner in January after firing his predecessor, Kevin Davis, had said Thursday after the charges were unsealed that he retained her confidence and was "working to resolve this matter."
The police union that represents rank-and-file members called for De Sousa to "do the right thing by taking a leave of absence" late Thursday.
The City Council, which confirmed De Sousa's appointment in February by a 14-1 vote without debate, has largely supported the commissioner since the charges were announced, though some state lawmakers who represent the city in Annapolis have called for his resignation.
Pugh appointed De Sousa in January after citing stubbornly high levels of violence under Davis' tenure.
Tuggle is a graduate of Coppin State University and holds advanced degrees from the Johns Hopkins University. He joined the DEA in 1992 and rose through the ranks to leadership positions, including as assistant special agent in charge of the agency's Baltimore office from 2013 to 2015. He later led the DEA's Philadelphia office.
