American Scandal - Police Corruption in Baltimore | On Trial | 4

Episode Date: February 13, 2024

The FBI's investigation into the Gun Trace Task Force, codenamed Broken Boundaries, finally leads to arrests. But for federal prosecutors to prove their case against these rogue cops, they need to find witnesses willing to testify against them.Listen to American Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting https://wondery.com/links/american-scandal/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hi, this is Lindsey Graham, host of American Scandal. Our back catalog has moved behind a paywall. Recent episodes remain free, but older ones will require a Wondery Plus subscription. With Wondery Plus, you get access to the full American Scandal archive, ad-free, plus early access to new seasons and more. Join Wondery Plus in the W on March 1st, 2017, and the FBI command center outside Baltimore is buzzing with activity. Agents in every corner of the room are poring over computer screens or talking urgently on the phone. And in every corner of the room are poring over computer screens or talking

urgently on the phone. And in the center of it all, Special Agent Erica Jensen is pacing back and forth, mentally preparing herself for what's about to happen. Sometime in the next hour, the members of the Gun Trace Task Force are scheduled to arrive at the Baltimore Police Department's Office of Internal Affairs. They think they've been called to discuss a recent hit-and-run involving an unmarked police vehicle. But in reality, an FBI SWAT team is standing by to arrest seven members of the squad, including its leader, Wayne Jenkins. For Agent Jensen, today's arrests have been more than a year in the making. She and her team have spent thousands of hours combing through records, listening on wiretaps and working witnesses, all in preparation for this moment. Jensen knows that

arresting law enforcement officers is no easy feat. If they suspect they've been set up, or if they've been tipped off, the officers could run, or worse, turn violent. Years ago, Jensen worked with a Chicago police officer who died by suicide just hours after he was brought up on corruption charges. So every part of today's plan has been designed to minimize the risk of something like that or worse happening. In the final minutes of the operation, Jensen doesn't have much left to do. But she's still buzzing with nervous energy.

So she crosses to an agent who's monitoring the GPS on the squad members' phones, making sure none of them are fleeing the city to avoid arrest. Jensen sits down next to her colleague. How's it looking? Well, so far, so good. According to the phones, they're all in the greater Baltimore area. Looks like Jenkins is going to arrive first. I wish we could just fast forward to the part where everyone is safely in custody. This suspense is killing me. Would it help to review the plan one more time? Yeah, sure. Let's do it. Okay, so the members of the Gun Trace Task Force will arrive at the Internal Affairs Building sometime between 8 45 and 9 o'clock. It's IA protocol for officers to turn over their guns and phones upon entering the building,

so once they're in the lobby, we shouldn't have much to worry about. They're not going to be able to call each other or open fire. Nor open fire, yeah. Once inside the lobby, each officer will be met by two people from Internal Affairs who will escort them into the elevator and take them to the second floor. And as soon as the elevator door opens on the second floor, SWAT will move in and arrest them. Yeah, that's the plan. It just seems so simple. I hope nobody's tipped them off. These guys have a lot of friends in the department. Wow, look, I know there's a lot that could go wrong, but we are as prepared

as we possibly could be. All that's left to do now is wait. Hold on, I'm getting a call. Jensen pulls her phone out of her pocket. It's Detective John Seraki. He's been working with Jensen since the beginning of the investigation, and today he's her contact on site at the Internal Affairs Building. Jensen accepts the call. Special Agent Jensen, you're absolutely positive. What is it? Seraki has eyes on Jenkins. He just pulled into the IA parking lot. God, I wish I was there to watch this go down. Okay, okay. Thanks for the update. Call me back when it's done. Jensen hangs up the phone and resumes pacing the room. The command center doesn't have access to cameras inside the IA building, so all she can do

is wait for Seraki to call her back again and let her know what happened. Jensen gazes up at the clock on the wall, and as she watches the second hand tick by, the room gets very quiet. One minute passes, five, eight, then ten. Jensen starts to imagine the worst has happened. But then her phone rings, and it's Siraki again. He says Jenkins has been arrested, and no one's been hurt. Jensen's so relieved she can almost cry. They did it. They successfully arrested a highly trained law enforcement officer without anyone getting hurt. Now, they just need to do it six more times.

In the past decade, Boeing has been involved in a series of scandals and deadly crashes that have dented its once sterling reputation. At the center of it all, the 737 MAX, the latest season of Business Wars, explores how Boeing allowed things to turn deadly and what, if anything, can save the company's reputation. Make sure to listen to Business Wars wherever you get your podcasts. From Wondery, I'm Lindsey Graham, and this is American Scandal. For years, members of the Baltimore Police's Gun Trace Task Force have been leading double lives. To their superiors, they were highly effective officers who were logging impressive stats and making big busts. But out on the streets, they were robbing suspects, falsifying evidence, and lining their own pockets in the process. To the officers and

their victims, it seemed like nothing could stop this plainclothes police squad. Until in the fall of 2015, a chance discovery landed the gun-traced task force on the radar of the FBI. The FBI opened an investigation codenamed Broken Boundaries, led by Special Agent Erica Jensen. And in a little over a year, they collected enough evidence to indict seven of the officers on the task force. But police officers are historically hard to convict. So as federal prosecutors took on the case, they faced an uphill battle to hold the officers accountable. This is Episode 4, On Trial. It's March 1st, 2017.

Defense attorney Ivan Bates is sitting on a bench in a downtown Baltimore courtroom, tapping his foot as he waits for the judge to arrive. He's here to ask the judge to postpone trial for one of his clients, but that's not the most pressing issue on his mind. Several months ago, Bates was approached by federal prosecutors who needed help with their case against the Gun Trace Task Force. The prosecutors believe these officers were engaged in all kinds of illegal activities, from civil rights violations to outright theft.

And they've already gathered a lot of evidence to prove it, but the prosecutors still weren't sure they had enough to secure indictments. What they needed were witnesses, people who'd been victimized by the officers and who'd be willing to testify about their experiences in front of a grand jury. The problem was that many of these victims were reluctant to cooperate with law enforcement. And that's where Bates could help. As a criminal defense attorney, Bates had been hearing stories for years

from clients who'd been victimized by Wayne Jenkins and other officers on the Gun Trace Task Force. And he was more than happy to persuade some of his clients to testify. But that was nearly a month ago, and Bates still has no idea when or if indictments are coming. Bates looks at his watch. The judge is running late, and all of the attorneys in the courtroom seem stressed about time. As the minutes tick by, Bates watches more and more of them furiously thumbing at their phones, trying to reschedule various appointments and meetings. But then suddenly, the lawyer sitting next to Bates lets out a shocked gasp. Bates looks over and sees she's reading something on her phone. Before he can ask what's going on, phones all around the room begin

to buzz. Bates pulls out his own phone from his pocket, and there on the home screen he finds the answer to his question. News has just come in reporting that seven Baltimore police officers have been arrested on federal charges of robbery, overtime fraud, and filing false affidavits. Bates just grins. This is it. This is the moment he's been waiting for. An opportunity for so many of his clients to get real justice. But Bates soon realizes that not everyone feels the same way about the news. A curse echoes through the courtroom, and Bates soon realizes that not everyone feels the same way about the news. A curse echoes through the courtroom, and Bates turns to see a prosecutor he knows slamming her briefcase shut in frustration. Behind her, he spots a public defender grinning from ear to ear.

The reactions to the news of the arrests all break down along similar lines. Prosecutors are devastated, while defense attorneys are thrilled. Bates understands why. Because the officers are accused of falsifying evidence and breaking the laws of probable cause, every case they handled will be subject to review. And if it turns out the plea deals and convictions they secured were based on bogus evidence, the resulting sentences will have to be vacated. For prosecutors, this is a nightmare.

But for defense attorneys like Bates, it means finally getting justice for their clients. Bates realizes that his whole day has just changed. As soon as he's done with this hearing, he's going to have to rush back to his office and tell his assistant to cancel everything on his calendar. Over the years, he's represented many clients who've had run-ins with detectives on the Gun Trace Task Force. Now Bates will have to call them all to tell them the news and start filing motions to get the charges against them dismissed. Wayne Jenkins is finally facing justice, and Bates is going to make sure that the people Jenkins robbed and railroaded get justice too. After their arrests, all of the accused officers are transported to the city's federal courthouse. There, they plead not guilty and asked to be released on bail.

Their lawyers argue that as police officers, the men will be targets in jail and their safety is at risk. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Leo Wise argues adamantly against releasing the officers. Leo Wise argues adamantly against releasing the officers. He asserts that as highly trained policemen, they know how to evade law enforcement and should therefore be considered a flight risk. The judge sides with Wise, denying the officers' request for bail, and the seven accused officers are remanded to a detention center 25 miles outside of Baltimore. There, the officers are processed and put into prison uniforms. Then, for their own protection, they're placed into a single cell, isolated from the rest of the population. But even in jail, Jenkins continues to act as the leader of the squad.

While the other officers sulk on their cold, uncomfortable cots, Jenkins paces, trying to figure out what to do next. But he keeps getting stuck on the question of how he ended up here in the first place. He does know one thing. If they're going to beat these charges, the whole squad has to stick together. So Jenkins looks around the cell. The rest of the team looks shell-shocked and angry. He needs to rally the troops. Jenkins claps his hands together. All right, come on guys, buck up. We can beat this. We just need to hold tight and not do anything stupid.

Mamadou Gondo looks at him skeptically. Man, we don't even know what evidence they have. That's my point. I don't think they have anything. And that's why we gotta stay quiet. I don't know. Don't you think it's weird that Cluel isn't here with us? John Cluel was a member of the Gun Trace Task Force until very recently, but unlike the rest of the guys on the squad, Cluel hasn't been arrested. Yeah, that's a little weird, especially since the court made it seem like a tracker he bought was what started their

investigation in the first place. So what if he ratted this out? What if the reason he's not here is because he's actually cut a deal? Nah, Cluel didn't know squad about what we were doing. here is because he's actually cut a deal. Nah, Cluel didn't know squat about what we were doing. Well, we made sure of that. Then what evidence do they have? That's what I'm saying. Just because we were indicted doesn't mean they have anything on us for real. Everyone just needs to keep their mouths shut, all right? Gondo sits up in bed. Now, now, hold up. You think they bugged our cars? If they did, do you think they'd wait this long to arrest us? I don't know. But if the cars were bugged, we're screwed. Keep it together, all right? We don't know that the cars were bugged. We don't know anything. So until we do, stick together, because if we can, we can beat this. Jenkins looks around the cell. He can't tell if the other guys are listening to him.

They look despondent, and he understands why. For years, this group could walk around with their heads held high. They made good busts, did everything their supervisors asked them to, and took what they thought they deserved. Now they're sharing a cell, dressed in prison jumpsuits. But as long as they can remember who they are, Jenkins is confident they'll be able to convince a jury that whatever the feds have on them, it was all justified. They may have bent the rules, but they're still good cops. But if they forget that and start turning on each other or making their own deals, then it's all over. This will be his biggest test as a leader, but Jenkins refuses to go down for these crimes. But Jenkins refuses to go down for these crimes. Wayne Jenkins continues to pressure his team to stay quiet.

But a week after their arrest, one member of the squad, Daniel Herschel, decides to appeal the judge's decision to deny bail, and the officers start to learn just how much evidence the FBI has amassed. During Herschel's hearing, Prosecutor Leo Wise makes an impassioned case for why the officer needs to be locked up while he awaits trial. He points out that the FBI recorded a conversation where Herschel had suggested arresting a witness to prevent him from testifying in a trial the next day. Wise argues that this is proof that Herschel is a threat to any potential witness in this case and can't be trusted to be let out of jail. As Herschel hears Wise's argument, his stomach sinks.

He remembers exactly where he was during that conversation, and it was in Mama Dugondo's service vehicle. If the FBI heard that conversation, it can only mean they had a microphone inside the car. And when the judge denies Herschel's appeal to be released on bail, Herschel returns to the cell, and he shares the news with the rest of the task force, confirming their worst suspicion, the FBI bugged Gondo's car. Still Jenkins tries to stay positive, again stressing that as long as they stick together, he still believes they can beat the

charges. But no matter what Jenkins says, Jamel Raham knows it's all over for him. Raham was Gondo's partner, so he spent a lot of time in Gondo's vehicle. And he knows that while they were in there, they talked about everything from stealing cash and selling drugs to falsifying arrest reports. There's no way a jury won't convict him. So Raham just rolls over in his bed. And as he plays through the possibilities in his mind, he realizes the best way forward is to tell the truth and try to make a plea bargain. Otherwise, he's potentially looking at up to 20 years in prison. So Raham later instructs his attorney to reach out to the prosecutors to see what kind of deal they can offer. And this is exactly what

the prosecutors have been waiting for. Despite all the evidence they have from the wiretaps on Gondo's phone and car, as well as the witness testimony from people robbed by the Gun Trace Task Force, they're still concerned about going to trial. Juries are unpredictable, and police officers tend to come across well on the stand. Only one year earlier, there had been a similar case in Philadelphia. Six police officers stood trial for stealing over $400,000, beating up suspects, and lying under oath. Everyone assigned to the FBI's Broken Boundaries investigation followed that trial. They were horrified when, despite significant evidence, all six officers were acquitted.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leo Wise and Derek Hines don't want the same thing to happen to their case. And their best chance of doing that is to avoid a trial altogether. So when Hines and Wise head out to meet with Jamel Rahm at the Howard Detention Center, they're hoping the conversation will lead to a plea bargain. But initially, Rahm doesn't seem to be in a bargaining mood.

As the two prosecutors enter the room and take their seats across the table from Raham and his attorney, Raham just keeps his eyes focused on the floor. Hines takes the lead in the discussion, explaining that this meeting is what's called a proffer session, and as such, nothing Raham says can be used against him in court. But if Hines and Wise feel that Ram has information that's helpful to their case, they can see about making a plea deal. After explaining this, Hines asks Ram if he understands, and the detective nods. With that out of the way, Hines opens his notebook and begins working through a list of prepared questions. He asks Ram if he knows anything about the GPS tracker that

was found on a car belonging to a drug dealer named Aaron Anderson. Rayam nods and mumbles, but Hines can't make out what he's saying. This goes on with Hines asking questions and Rayam mumbling unintelligible answers until finally Hines has had enough. He stands up, grabs his notes, and tells Rayam's lawyer to call when his client is ready to talk for real. But as Hines and Wise head for the door, Ram speaks up loud enough that Hines can actually hear him. He tells the prosecutors to wait. He says he wants to talk for real. Hines and Wise return to the table, and Hines asks again about the tracker found on Aaron Anderson's car. Ram takes a deep breath, and in a voice that's quiet but clear, he explains that he and Gondo asked their colleague John Cluel to purchase the tracker on their behalf. He says

Cluel has no idea what they plan to use it for, but once they got it, they placed it on Anderson's car and then robbed Anderson's home. Hines and Wise exchange a look. They never expected Ram to be this forthcoming, but now that he's finally talking, the government's case against the Gun Trace Task Force has just gotten a whole lot stronger. I'm Jake Warren, and in our first season of Finding, I set out on a very personal quest

to find the woman who saved my mum's life. You can listen to Finding Natasha right now exclusively on Wondery Plus. In season two, I found myself caught up in a new journey to help someone I've never even met. But a couple of years ago, I came across a social media post by a person named Loti. It read in part, three years ago today that I attempted to jump off this bridge, but this wasn't my time to go. A gentleman named Andy saved my life. I still haven't found him. This is a story that I came across purely by chance but it instantly moved me and it's taken me to a place where I've had

to consider some deeper issues around mental health. This is season two of Finding and this time if all goes to plan we'll be finding Andy. You can listen to Finding, and this time, if all goes to plan, we'll be finding Andy. You can listen to Finding Andy and Finding Natasha exclusively and ad-free on Wondery Plus. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. On January 5th, 2024, an Alaska Airlines door plug tore away mid-flight, leaving a gaping hole in the side of a plane that carried 171 passengers. This heart-stopping incident was just the latest in a string of crises surrounding the aviation manufacturing giant, Boeing. In the past decade, Boeing has been involved in a series of

damning scandals and deadly crashes that have chipped away at its once sterling reputation. At the center of it all, the 737 MAX. The latest season of Business Wars explores how Boeing, once the gold standard of aviation engineering, descended into a nightmare of safety concerns and public mistrust. The decisions, denials, and devastating consequences bringing the Titan to its knees. And what, if anything, can save the company's reputation? Now, follow Business Wars on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can binge Business Wars, The Unraveling of Boeing, early and ad-free right now on Wondery Plus. In the months following their March 2017 arrests, more members of the Gun Trace Task Force decided to cut deals with prosecutors. Mamadou Gondo, Maurice Ward, and Evadio Hendricks all offered confessions in exchange for lighter sentences. These officers not only confirmed details about the crimes they'd been accused of, they also confessed to crimes the prosecutors were completely unaware of. Some of them even described crimes they committed years before the Gun Trace Task Force was under investigation. But not every member of the squad is so cooperative. Wayne Jenkins,

Maurice Taylor, and Daniel Herschel all maintain their innocence. They seem determined to take their chances at trial. And that's bad news for U.S. District Attorneys Derek Hines and Leo Wise. These prosecutors know that cops often do well at trial. They also know that Jenkins is especially strong on the stand. They're concerned that if Jenkins testifies, he could jeopardize the whole case. So Wise and Hines push to have a proffer session with Jenkins, Wise and Hines push to have a proffer session with Jenkins, and eventually Jenkins agrees. But in July 2017, when Jenkins actually sits down for the meeting, he refuses to admit he's guilty of anything, or offer the prosecutors anything they can use against Taylor or Herschel.

The only person that Jenkins is willing to incriminate is his old friend Donald Stepp, who he identifies as a drug dealer. And when Jenkins' first name's Stepp, the prosecutors don't pay much attention. Their case is about public corruption and Stepp is a private citizen. But then, as they're checking Jenkins' phone records, they realize that Stepp might indeed be important to their case. On days they know the Gun Trace Task Force committed a robbery, Jenkins frequently made calls to Donald Stepp. And from that information, Wise and Hines begin to develop a new theory. According to other members of the task force, Jenkins was the one who usually kept the drugs they stole. And it appears

that Jenkins was in turn giving those drugs to his friend Stepp to sell. If that theory proves true, and if they can convince Stepp to turn on Jenkins, then Jenkins might finally have to agree to cut a deal. So in November of 2017, Hines and Wise reach out to the county police who have jurisdiction over the town where Stepp lives to put him under surveillance. Veteran officer Christopher Toland is assigned to the detail, and on one cold evening in December 2017, Toland catches a lucky break. That night, he's parked across the street from Step's house when an SUV that Toland's never seen before pulls into Step's driveway.

Toland watches the driver's side door to see who's going to step out, but nobody ever does. Instead, Step emerges from his house, walks over to the SUV, and hops in the passenger seat. A few minutes later, Step then emerges from the car and goes back inside his house as the SUV reverses out of the driveway.

Toland can't be sure what he just witnessed, but he's fairly certain it was a drug deal. So he starts up his unmarked car and follows the SUV, hoping that at some point the driver does something that will legally justify a stop. And sure enough, at an intersection about five miles from Step's house, the driver rolls a stop sign.

Toland hits his siren and pulls the SUV over. As Toland parks his car, he hopes his instincts are right. If he finds drugs in the SUV, he'll be able to serve a warrant on Donald's staff. If not, he'll have to go back to his cold, lonely stakeout for God knows how long. Toland steps out of his service vehicle and slowly walks toward the front of the SUV holding his flashlight. He approaches the passenger side door, keeping himself out of traffic. The driver rolls down the window. Can I help you with something, officer? It's a woman in her mid to late 40s.

Her mouth is frozen into a nervous smile. You didn't see the stop sign back there? I stopped, didn't I? I thought I stopped. No, ma'am. I'm so sorry. I really thought I stopped. License and registration, please. Oh, sure. Just a second. As the woman reaches for her purse, Toland shines a flashlight into the car. He spots several small pieces of copper mesh scattered on the floor. He knows this type of mesh is frequently used as a filter in the kind of glass pipe used to smoke crack cocaine. Ma'am, do you use drugs?

What? No. Then you wouldn't mind if I search your car? No, of course not. I have nothing to hide. You can even search my purse if you want. All right, I might. Please step out of the vehicle. The woman exits her SUV, clutching her purse. And as she begins removing items from the bag, her hands start to shake. It's just normal stuff. See, lipstick, wallet, keys, sunglasses, tampons. Ma'am, ma'am, stop. Now, I told you I had nothing to hide. I want to prove it to you. Look, gum, receipts, ticket stubs. This is actually embarrassing. I need to clean this out.

Suddenly, a small yellow envelope falls to the ground. The woman drops to her knees and tries to shove it into the back of her waistband. Toland doesn't fall for it. Ma'am, I need you to give me that envelope now. That's nothing, I swear. Now, ma'am. Reluctantly, the woman hands it over and Toland looks inside. There's about half an ounce of cocaine in the envelope. Toland sighs. He doesn't like busting anyone over such a small amount of drugs. It doesn't seem worth it to him to potentially ruin someone's life over a few lines of coke, but in this case, it's for the greater good. He knows that this tiny bit of powder is going to

give him everything he needs to get a search warrant for Donald Stepp's house. So as Toland reads the woman her rights and escorts her to his vehicle, he tries to remind himself that her arrest is serving a bigger picture. If this is the first in a series of events that helps convict Wayne Jenkins, then justice has been served. That same night, a judge approves a warrant to search Donald Stepp's home, and almost immediately, a team of county vice officers are deployed to the scene. When they arrive just after midnight, there are lights on in the house, indicating that Stepp might still be awake. So quietly, the officers approach the front steps and then pound on the door, yelling that they're police and have a warrant. Nobody answers, but through the window,

the officers can see Stepp standing in the kitchen, looking as if he's debating what to do. The police officers don't give him a chance to decide. They break open the front door with a battering ram and rush inside. Two of the officers secure Step while the others search the house, looking for drugs, and they're not disappointed. The officers find tens of thousands of dollars worth of narcotics hidden throughout Step's home. And the next day, federal prosecutors indict him for possession and distribution. The charges Step faces carry a sentence of 10 years to life. So when Step is brought into a meeting with federal agents, he's already thinking about cutting a deal. And when they tell him they're looking for information about Wayne Jenkins, Step quickly agrees to cooperate. It's not that Step has anything against Jenkins,

but he's looking at a potential life sentence and he has a five-year-old special needs child at home. If the choice is between giving up his freedom or snitching on his friend, then as far as Step is concerned, it's an easy choice. So Step takes a deep breath and starts to talk. He tells the agents how Jenkins first approached him

on the way back from a trip to a casino in Delaware, how Jenkins asked Step if he could sell drugs that Jenkins might bring him, and how for years Jenkins would come by his house to drop off drugs on an almost nightly basis. In fact, Step estimates that over the years, the two of them sold at least a million dollars worth of product. The agents ask Step if he has any proof of this, and Step smiles. He reaches for his phone, unlocks it, and slides it across the table so the agents can look through the videos. On the phone, they see scenes of Jenkins and Step hanging out together. Not just at parties, but at police headquarters and crime scenes.

And as the agents scroll around, they also find what appears to be videos of Step and Jenkins robbing people together. The agents look at Step stunned, but he jokes that they should give him a job because he got all their evidence for them. One of the agents shakes his head in disbelief. He asks why Step would ever record any of this. Step looks at the agents with a smirk and says one word, insurance. He was hip-hop's biggest mogul, the man who redefined fame, fortune, and the music industry. The first male rapper to be honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Sean Diddy Cone. Diddy built an empire and lived a life most people only dream about. Everybody know ain't no party like a Diddy party, so.

Yeah, that's what's up. But just as quickly as his empire rose, it came crashing down. Today I'm announcing the unsealing of a three-count indictment, charging Sean Combs with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, interstate transportation for prostitution. I was f***ed up. I hit rock bottom, but I made no excuses. I'm disgusted. I'm so sorry. Until you're wearing an orange jumpsuit, it's not real.

Now it's real. From his meteoric rise to his shocking fall from grace, from law and crime, this is The Rise and Fall of Diddy. Listen to The Rise and Fall of Diddy exclusively with Wondery Plus. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leo Wise and Derek Hines are thrilled with the evidence that Donald Stepp provides them against Wayne Jenkins. They have high hopes that the threat of step testify, along with the videos and photos he's provided, will be enough to change Jenkins' mind about going to trial. But the trial is set to begin on January 16, 2018, which is only a month away. There's not that much time to make

a deal, so the prosecutors immediately reach out to Jenkins' lawyers. And after some intense negotiations, they finally come to an agreement. On January 5th, only 11 days before trial is set to begin, Jenkins walks into a federal courtroom in downtown Baltimore to enter a plea. He looks tired and small, a far cry from the man who was once viewed with awe by his fellow officers. His family sits in the gallery, looking devastated. The clerk asks Jenkins to stand and spell his name for the court, and Jenkins obliges, his voice quiet. And then the judge asks how Jenkins pleads.

Jenkins hesitates for a second, and then says guilty. Jenkins' family members wince and fight back tears. The judge then reads through the entire list of crimes that Jenkins is accused of. It takes her several minutes to get through all of them, and while she speaks, Jenkins stares stoically ahead. At the end, the judge asks Jenkins a series of questions to ensure that he knows what he's pleading guilty to, and Jenkins answers yes to every one of them. At the end, he notes that he's ashamed of himself. Some observers believe that Jenkins' remorse is an act designed to pave the way for a more lenient sentencing. But whatever the motivation for his behavior, Wayne Jenkins has left a shell of the hard-charging cop who thought the law didn't

apply to him. But soon, all the crimes that Jenkins and his team committed are going to be a matter of public record, and some of their victims will finally get to speak out. In the end, only two indicted members of the Gun Trace Task Force don't cop plea deals, Marcus Taylor and Daniel Herschel. Their trial begins in late January 2018. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leo Wise and Derek Hines call a variety of witnesses,

including some of Taylor and Herschel's former colleagues. On the stand, the disgraced officers lay bare the variety of crimes they committed and described their frequent use of racial profiling,

warrantless searches, and disregard for the rules of probable cause. During the trial, prosecutors also call several of the task force's victims. During the trial, prosecutors also call several of the task force's victims. Many are convicted drug dealers who are not used to testifying against police rather than the other way around. And not all of them are comfortable with it.

Areece Stevenson, who was robbed by Jenkins and his team in 2016, bluntly tells the jury that he doesn't want to be in court. But other victims are eager to share their stories. One man, Ronald Hamilton, tells the jury about how he and his wife were arrested as they left a Home Depot in 2016. Two cars, driven by members of the Gun Trace Task Force, boxed in his vehicle. Then Jamel Ram pointed a gun in Hamilton's face and dragged him from his car, demanding all of Hamilton's money. Later, both Hamilton and his wife were handcuffed and taken to a warehouse in northwest Baltimore, usually used as a police training facility. There, Hamilton was questioned for over an hour, and when he wouldn't

admit to having drugs in his house, the officers loaded Hamilton and his wife back into squad cars and drove them to their home. Then, Hamilton says, the officers handcuffed him to his wife back into squad cars and drove them to their home. Then Hamilton says the officers handcuffed him to his wife, made them sit on the love seat in the living room. Daniel Herschel kept an eye on them while the rest of the squad tore the Hamiltons' home apart, searching for drugs. Hamilton tells the jury that he felt like he was being held hostage. In the end, Hamilton says the officers didn't find any drugs, but they did find $70,000 in cash, and they stole 20 of it. The rest of the money was seized under asset forfeiture laws, which allow police to take the property of suspected drug dealers. So even though Hamilton

was never even charged with any kind of drug crime, he's only been able to recover half of the cash that was logged into evidence. The prosecutor wraps up his questions, and now it's the defense attorney's turn to cross-examine Hamilton. Hamilton takes a deep breath, reminding himself to stay calm while he's on the stand. He wants to see Herschel and Taylor convicted to pay for what they did, and that means keeping his cool, even though he's still full of rage over what happened to him and his wife. Herschel's attorney stands up and crosses in front of the defendant's table, unbuttoning his suit jacket. Now, you say the gun trace task force stole $20,000 from you.

That's right. And why didn't you report that? We've heard other people testify that they couldn't report what was stolen because it was drugs or money that was obtained by stealing drugs, but you claimed that your money was clean. Well, clean or not, I have a record. Who's going to believe me? If I made a stink about this, they would only have found a reason to lock me up and no one would have believed that I was innocent anyways. Those cops held all the cards. But isn't there another reason? That you didn't actually want anyone looking too closely into where that cash came from? No. As I said before, that money is

legit. But $70,000 is a lot of money to have in cash. I already explained this. I work in cash businesses. I sell used cars and I also make money at the casinos. But the thing is, I have your ledger from the casino. It shows a minimal amount of winnings and losses, and your own records of auto sales don't add up to the amount of cash you have on hand. So maybe I'm not the best at keeping records. I'm just saying that the Gun Trace Task Force believed you were selling drugs, and there is some compelling evidence that you maybe do. So maybe the officers of the Gun Trace Task Force aren't the ones lying about what happened that day. Hamilton leans forward, his eyes flashing with anger. What they did destroyed my whole

family. These guys basically held me at gunpoint in my own home while they robbed me. This was a home invasion, and for months after, my wife couldn't be in our house alone. She'd go to the Walmart and just wander around for hours until I got home. Any noise would set her on edge. I'd have to go around the house turning on the lights, making sure no one was there. And she couldn't take it anymore, so now we're in the process of divorcing. And that's the fault of these officers. I think that might be an oversimplification. No, no, no, you don't get it. These cops got away with everything. Everything, man. They could do whatever they wanted, and no one could do anything. Until now. Hamilton leans back, breathing hard and upset that he lost his cool. All he wanted was to testify

well and do his part, but he couldn't help himself. He is still so angry at what the gun trace task force did to him. Hamilton sneaks a look at the jury. He can't read their faces, but he hopes they can see past his history and then understand what the Gun Trace Task Force did had real and lasting consequences. Finally, the judge excuses Hamilton from the witness stand, and as he heads out of the courtroom, he glares at Taylor and Herschel. He can't wait to see them and the rest of the Gun Trace Task Force in prison. It won't change what Hamilton went through, but at least it would restore some of the faith he's lost in the system.

The trial against Marcus Taylor and Daniel Herschel lasted just short of a month, during which all but one of their former colleagues on the Gun Trace Task Force testified against them. The only member of the squad not called to testify was Wayne Jenkins. Even though he had accepted a plea deal, prosecutors still considered him too unpredictable to trust on the stand.

And when it was all over, the jury deliberated for a day and a half before finding Taylor and Herschel guilty of the charges of racketeering, robbery, and fraud. Both men were sentenced to 18 years in prison. In June 2018, Wayne Jenkins was sentenced to 25 years. Mamadou Gondo received a 10-year sentence. Jamel Ram received 12 years. Both Maurice Ward and Evadio Hendricks were sentenced to seven years in prison.

They were released in February 2022 after serving five years. According to the state's attorney's office, over 2,000 cases were impacted by the arrests of the seven officers, and the city has paid out over $22 million in lawsuits related to the actions of the Gun Trace Task Force. After further investigation, six more Baltimore police officers were also charged, and city observers think it's only the tip of an iceberg of corruption within the force. An independent report on the scandal, commissioned by the city, found that the very culture of the Baltimore Police Department fostered an environment of corruption where criminal officers like those in the Gun Trace Task Force thrived. And a Baltimore Sun report noted that the police

force had routinely either failed to recognize or chose to ignore red flags about officers like Wayne Jenkins. In the aftermath of the Gun Trace Task Force scandal, defense attorney Ivan Bates chose to switch sides. He was frustrated by the civil rights violations committed by Baltimore police officers and how the state's attorney's office routinely ignored these violations. So he decided to try to change the culture from the inside and ran for state's attorney. He lost his first race in 2018, but in 2022, he ran again and won. He was sworn in on January 3rd, 2023. But six years before that, in 2017, the Baltimore Police Department began operating under a federal consent decree

enforced by the U.S. Department of Justice. Under this decree, the Baltimore police are required to engage in more community policing efforts, release stop-and-search data, and report any complaints of misconduct or excessive force to a civilian oversight task force. But as of 2023, no stop-and-search data has been released, and a new plainclothes group called the District Action Team continues to operate in high-crime areas using what critics say are some of the same tactics employed by the Gun Trace Task Force, because in 2022, a district action team officer was caught on video telling a suspect, we establish our own probable cause. From Wondery, this is Episode 4 of Police Corruption in Baltimore for American Scandal.

In our next episode, I talk with author and award-winning investigative journalist Justin Fenton. He's the author of a book about the Gun Trace Task Force called We Own This City, which was adapted into a critically acclaimed HBO series. We'll talk about how Fenton's reporting for the Baltimore Sun helped break the Gun Trace Task Force scandal and the scandal's deeper effects on the city's community and its police force. If you're enjoying American Scandal, you can unlock exclusive seasons on Wondery Plus. Binge new seasons first and listen completely ad-free when you join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a survey at wondery.com slash survey. If you'd like to learn more about this story,

we recommend the books We Own This City by Justin Fenton and I Got a Monster by Baynard Woods and Brandon Soderbergh. This episode contains reenactments and dramatized details. And while in most cases, we can't know exactly what was said, all our dramatizations are based on historical research. reenactments, and dramatized details. And while in most cases we can't know exactly what was said, all our dramatizations are based on historical research. American Scandal is hosted, edited, and executive produced by me, Lindsey Graham for Airship. Audio editing by Christian Paraga.

Sound design by Molly Bach. Music editing by Katrina Zimrack. Music by Lindsey Graham. This episode is written by Austin Rackless, edited by Emma Cortland. Our senior producers are Gabe Riven and Andy Herman. Executive producers are Stephanie Jens, Jenny Lauer Beckman, and Marshall Louis for Wondery.