Ex-Baltimore City Schools Officer Receives One-Year Sentence for Fraud

Lawrence Smith, a former police officer with Baltimore City Schools, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison on Wednesday at the courthouse in Downtown Baltimore.

Smith pleaded guilty last October to charges of wire fraud and tax evasion, admitting to unlawfully obtaining $215,000 in overtime pay while serving in his role.

In addition to his prison term, Smith has been ordered to pay restitution exceeding $215,000 to the Baltimore City Schools and an additional $61,233 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

His case came to light following an investigation by the FBI into payroll discrepancies within the City Schools system, initially reported by Project Baltimore nearly four years ago.

In January 2023, Project Baltimore revealed evidence indicating that Smith was logging overtime hours while not actually working. The investigation uncovered social media videos showing him engaging in various activities, such as boating on the Chesapeake Bay and coaching football, during times he claimed to be on duty.

Despite being indicted eight months after these findings were aired, it was reported that Baltimore City Schools continued to pay Smith for nearly a year after his arrest, even amid allegations of fraudulent activity involving taxpayer funds.

When approached for comment, City Schools leadership declined to discuss the ongoing payments but stated that they reserve the right to recover any compensation in accordance with Maryland law.

A letter submitted to the court by the school district indicated that they are seeking to recover $111,397 that Smith received while on paid administrative leave following his arrest in 2023.

Reported by HarborBeat based on WBFF (source).