Posts Tagged ‘Prince George’s County’

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Two Plead Not Guilty in Federal Corruption Probe

Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010

GREENBELT, Md. – Two of the nine men arrested last week in a sweeping FBI corruption probe in Prince George’s County pleaded not guilty in court Tuesday.

Prince George’s County Police Sgt. Richard Delabrer, 45, of Laurel, and Jose Moreno, 49, of Alexandria, Va., pleaded not guilty to conspiring to interfere with commerce and a related forfeiture count in separate hearings in U.S. District Court.

Delabrer was released and will remain under electronic monitoring. Moreno would have been released under the same terms, but is being held until a land line phone is installed in his home, said U.S. Magistrate Judge William Connelly.

If found guilty, both men could face up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines, Connelly said.

The two men were arrested Nov. 15 as part of an FBI corruption probe in Prince George’s County linked to the arrest of Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson and his wife, County Council member-elect Leslie Johnson.

While the Johnson arrests allege corruption in connection with development, the men in court Tuesday were named in an indictment that outlines a scheme to transport untaxed alcohol and cigarettes in Maryland and Virginia.

The courtroom was full of Delabrer’s friends and family, with more waiting in the hall, including his wife, Eri Delabrer, and two of his four children.

Little was said publicly in either of the hearings Tuesday.

Delabrer’s lawyer, James Papirmeister, said afterward his client has been with the police department for 22 years.

“He has outstanding evaluations,” said Papirmeister. “Perfect? No. Most of us in our careers are not perfect.”

Moreno’s lawyer, Michael Lawlor, could not be reached afterward.

Jury trials for each are scheduled to begin Jan. 18, and will last about eight weeks, Connelly said.

–By Maryland Newsline’s Ilana Yergin

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Hearings Delayed in Federal Corruption Probe in Pr. George’s

Thursday, November 18th, 2010

GREENBELT, Md. – Detention hearings for two of the Prince George’s County Police officers charged with aiding in the transport of untaxed alcohol and cigarettes were postponed Thursday.

The lawyers for Sgt. Richard Delabrer and Cpl. Chong Chin Kim requested more time to prepare and, in Delabrer’s case, to confirm permanent legal representation. Both lawyers, James Papirmeister for Delabrer and Pat Woodward for Kim, declined to comment afterward.

Delabrer and Kim will both remain detained until new detention hearings are scheduled.

At least 10 Prince George’s County Police officers were at the U.S. District Courthouse in support of Delabrer.

After the hearing, Delabrer’s brother, John, accused Prince George’s County Police Chief Roberto Hylton of convicting his brother in the public eye.

“He threw [Richard] under the bus, instead of supporting him,” John Delabrer said. “He convicted him right in front of the cameras.”

Delabrer was referencing Hylton’s comments at a Monday press conference, in which he said Delabrer, Kim and Officer Sinisa Simic, charged in a separate indictment in the sweeping FBI corruption probe, were “bad guys who needed to go away.”

–By Maryland Newsline’s Justin Karp

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Posted in Crime & Justice | 6 Comments »

Baker Looks Forward Despite County Executive’s Arrest

Monday, November 15th, 2010

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. — The Baker administration will remain focused on campaign promises — improving the school system, expanding the tax base and creating jobs – despite the federal probe that resulted in the arrests of the current county executive and his wife, Prince George’s County Executive-elect Rushern L. Baker III said today.

“Despite recent events, these are not sad days in Prince George’s County,” said Baker. “The alleged acts of a few in no way should deter the direction of all of Prince George’s County.”

When asked if he was surprised by recent events, which on Friday resulted in the arrests of County Executive Jack B. Johnson and wife, Leslie E. Johnson, Baker said he ran because he wanted to participate in making the county great.

“In a few days, or a few weeks quiet honestly, we’re going to get the chance to do that [improve the county],” said Baker, who will be sworn in Dec. 6.  “That’s why I ran, and that is what I am going to focus on.”

–By Maryland Newsline’s Rabiah Alicia Burks

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Posted in Crime & Justice, Elections 2010 | 1 Comment »

Dead-Dog Ads Arrive Late for P.G. County Executive Race

Tuesday, September 21st, 2010
The late ad.

The late ad.

ANNAPOLIS – The big sad eyes of a black Labrador retriever stare up at Prince George’s County voters from the front of an ad slamming county executive candidate Michael Jackson, whose sheriff’s deputies infamously killed a local mayor’s two dogs in a botched July 2008 drug raid.

“You shot my dogs. You shot my dogs,” the ad reads.

But the ad, which says it was paid for by the 1199 SEIU Political Action Fund, arrived in some households Thursday, two days after the Democratic primary election in which Rushern L. Baker III defeated Jackson, the current county sheriff. Baker is now unopposed in November’s general election.

A union of healthcare workers, 1199 SEIU, sent the mailing that reminds voters of the invasion staged by the Prince George’s County Police Department and Sheriff’s Office into the home of Cheye Calvo, the mayor of Berwyn Heights.

Calvo’s two black labs were shot, and he and his mother-in-law were handcuffed while the police and the sheriff’s office ransacked the house for a package of drugs addressed to Calvo’s wife, Trinity Tomsic. Later, authorities admitted Calvo and Tomsic were caught in the middle of a smuggling scheme in which drugs are shipped to innocent neighbors and intercepted, often, before the packages are collected.

Jackson could not be reached for comment.

An earlier ad, which also says it was paid for by 1199 SEIU, urges voters to “take a look at Sheriff Michael Jackson’s brutal record” and lists incidents involving the sheriff’s office that date from September 2006.

James Adams, Baker’s communications director, said the campaign did not have any input into the ads and could comment only on its own campaign materials.

“SEIU represents thousands of working families in Prince George’s County, and they have the right to advocate on their behalf,” Adams said. “We have been the target of so many attacks. We have chosen not to address those kinds of attacks on us.”

Attempts to reach 1199 SEIU for comment were unsuccessful.

–by Capital News Service’s Abby Brownback

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Posted in Elections 2010, State politics | No Comments »

Prince George’s Schools Superintendent Resigns

Tuesday, September 30th, 2008

The Prince George’s County Board of Education accepted the resignation of Superintendent John E. Deasy Tuesday.

Deasy, who was hired in 2006, will become deputy director of the education division at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Deputy Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. was chosen by the board to serve as interim superintendent beginning Feb. 1, after Deasy leaves. The board has not yet settled on an approach to finding a replacement for Deasy but has begun that process, said John White, Prince George’s County Public Schools spokesman.

“We will certainly want to hire someone who is familiar with the culture of this particular environment, and that doesn’t mean they have to come from Prince George’s County, but they certainly need to be aware of the demographics of Prince George’s County,” said Judith James, executive director of the Board of Education.

Deasy’s doctoral degree from the University of Louisville was under scrutiny this month due to the small number of credits that he completed at that institution. Although the university’s doctoral students usually complete 18 credit hours in full-time residency, Deasy completed only nine credit hours there.

Capital News Service also reported last week that Deasy’s resume included two anomalies. He listed a faculty position at Loyola Marymount University, Calif., but that institution’s human resources department could not find any records to show he held that position. There also were questions about the date on which Deasy received a master’s degree from Providence College.

“We’re not, and have not, allowed any of that to affect our decision making,” said James, referring to the investigation. “Dr. Deasy has been very successful in his efforts here, and it has proven itself in how well our students are achieving.”

–By Capital News Service’s Megan A. Conlan

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Posted in Education, Schools | No Comments »

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