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Corrupt Police Task Force Costs City Over $15 Million in Debt

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A $575,000 settlement was approved by the city of Baltimore on Wednesday to be paid to a man who was imprisoned unjustly.

The corruption surrounding the Gun Trace Task Force, which consisted of officers from the Baltimore Police Department was exposed in 2017.

Over the course of 3 years, BPD officers made unlawful arrests, planted evidence on suspects, and sold drugs that they would confiscate.

In 2015, Darnell Earl was arrested during a traffic stop after three Baltimore Police officers planted a gun under the seat of his car. The three officers; Marcus Taylor, Evodio Hendrix, and Wayne Jenkins were members of the Gun Trace Task Force.

Earl spent 18 months in jail as a result of that day and in 2020 sued the city of Baltimore after the task force was exposed.

On Wednesday, the city approved $575,000 in a legal settlement to be paid to Earl, bringing the total amount of debt the task force cost the city to over $15 million. There are still four pending lawsuits against the city.

Many of the task force members are currently in prison. The longest sentence given to any of the officers was given to Wayne Jenkins, who’s currently serving 25 years.



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