Daniel Hersl, the ex-Baltimore Police officer entangled in the Gun Trace Task Force saga, has died at 55, a statement confirmed by a death notification signed by U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher and reported by Fox Baltimore. Hersl, who had been serving an 18-year sentence for racketeering, robbery, and overtime fraud, succumbed to terminal prostate cancer.
His troubling legacy as a key figure in one of Baltimore's most notorious police scandals began to draw to an end when he was granted release from prison in January 2025, after a cancer diagnosis estimated he had little more than 18 months to live, as reported by WMAR-2 News. His initial petition for early release, filed back in October 2023, was denied, but the court eventually relented.
According to WMAR-2 News, during his incarceration, Hersl expressed remorse for his actions. "I'm truly sorry for the way myself and others that I worked with acted and treated others during OUR time as Police Officers," Hersl said in a public apology. This statement was covered extensively by the media and continued, "There are things that I'm very proud of that I have accomplished as a Police Officer in the Baltimore Police Department but unfortunately those accomplishments are overshadowed by my conduct in the G.T.T.F. My actions have hurt and affected so many others that put their trust in me and to this day it weighs on my mind."
Hersl's scandalous activities with the GTTF involved targeting suspected drug dealers, planting evidence, and stealing cash and drugs during what should have been routine enforcement operations. The eight-member team operated unassailably on the streets of Baltimore for three years, culminating in multiple lawsuits from alleged victims.
