Three Baltimore police officers are facing criminal charges after a grand jury accused them of gaming the clock and cashing in on hours they allegedly never worked, city prosecutors announced yesterday. The case is already stirring fresh worries about who is watching the payroll at a department entrusted with guarding the city every day.
In a press release from the Office of the State's Attorney for Baltimore City, prosecutors said Lt. Welai Grant, Sgt. Mark Rutkowski, and former officer Harrison Brandon were charged in separate grand jury indictments that allege theft and misconduct tied to falsified time records. The office said its Public Trust and Police Integrity Unit investigated the cases and presented evidence to the grand jury, which returned the indictments.
Indictments Lay Out Three Different Alleged Scams
According to reporting by WMAR2 News, each officer is accused of working a different angle on the same basic theme: getting paid for time they allegedly did not earn.
Lt. Grant is accused of claiming pay for overnight shifts she did not work on eight separate occasions between September and November 2025. Prosecutors say Sgt. Rutkowski allegedly clocked in when leaving his home and did not clock out until he returned, and is also accused of canceling his own leave from another employee’s computer terminal to trigger overtime and penalty pay. Former officer Harrison Brandon allegedly began submitting forged doctor’s notes in August 2024 to obtain sick leave pay and resigned after an investigation started, according to the station.
City Leaders Slam Alleged Conduct
Mayor Brandon M. Scott did not mince words, saying the alleged schemes "undermine the safety of our residents and represent a misuse of their hard‑earned tax dollars," as reported by WMAR2 News. Police Commissioner Richard Worley noted that two of the three charged officers are still on the force and said the department’s Public Integrity Division worked with prosecutors on the probe.
Long Shadow Of Baltimore Payroll Problems
The new indictments land in a city that is already skittish about payroll oversight. An inspector general review recently found that a misconfigured pay code in the sheriff’s office led to more than $2.2 million in improper payments, according to WYPR/The Baltimore Banner. Against that backdrop, advocates and officials are again asking whether Baltimore’s timekeeping systems and internal checks are strong enough to catch smaller manipulations before they quietly snowball.
What Comes Next In Court
The indictments include counts of theft, misconduct, and identity fraud, with potential penalties that vary depending on the exact charge. Some of the alleged theft falls in the 1,500 to 25,000 dollar range, which can carry up to five years in prison and fines if there is a conviction. Certain identity fraud counts are misdemeanors, according to the Office of the State's Attorney for Baltimore City.
For now, these are still allegations, and the three defendants are presumed innocent. Their cases will move forward in Baltimore City Circuit Court, where the city’s questions about trust, oversight, and taxpayer money will play out in legal filings and, potentially, at trial.
