BALTIMORE _ Baltimore Police Detective Jemell Rayam pleaded guilty Tuesday afternoon to one federal charge of racketeering conspiracy, becoming the third city officer to admit to robbing suspects, billing for overtime he never worked and forging reports to cover up his crimes.
The growing scandal has consumed the Police Department's Gun Trace Task Force, an elite unit deployed to interrupt the illegal gun trade in Baltimore. Federal prosecutors brought the racketeering case against eight members of the unit, nearly the entirety of the task force.
Rayam's plea agreement also revealed for the first time that an additional officer from outside the unit allegedly participated in the robberies. This officer was not named.
Detectives Evodio Hendrix and Maurice Ward both pleaded guilty to racketeering in July and await sentencing next year. Besides Rayam, five others have been indicted, including the plainclothes unit's former commanders, Sgts. Thomas Allers and Wayne Jenkins. Both commanders pleaded not guilty, as have Detectives Daniel Hersl and Marcus Taylor. Their trials are scheduled to begin in January.
Detective Momodu Gondo, called "G Money" in wiretapped phone calls, is scheduled to appear in federal court Thursday to change his plea of not guilty. His attorney, Warren Brown, said Gondo will plead guilty to racketeering as well.
Rayam, 37, of Owings Mills, faces as much as 20 years in prison with his guilty plea. He has not yet been scheduled for sentencing. He said little during the hearing Tuesday, other than answering U.S. District Judge Catherine Blake with "Yes, your honor" and "No, your honor." His attorney, Dennis Boyle, declined to comment afterward.
Rayam schemed to steal money, property and drugs by searching suspects, entering their homes and pulling them over, according to his plea agreement. He also swore out false search warrants. Rayam and the other officers pocketed hundreds of thousands of dollars and often targeted suspected drug dealers, according to federal prosecutors.
