4th Baltimore Officer Pleads Guilty To Racketeering Charges

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A fourth Baltimore police officer, 34-year-old Detective Momodu Bondeva Kenton Gondo, pleaded guilty Thursday in a racketeering conspiracy that six other officers are also charged in.

So far, four other officers have already pleaded guilty to their parts in the crimes.

Jemell Rayam pleaded guilty earlier this week for robbing people he detained, billing overtime hours when he wasn't working, and forging police reports, according to his attorney, Dennis Boyle.

Maurice Ward, and Evodio Hendrix admitted this summer to stealing from citizens, lying on police reports and taking tropical vacations while claiming they were on the job.

Gondo joined the Baltimore Police Department on November 29, 2005 and was later assigned to the Gun Trace Task Force.

According to the plea agreement, Gondo schemed to steal money, property, and narcotics by detaining victims, entering residences, conducting traffic stops, and swearing out false search warrant affidavits. He also allegedly prepared and submitted false official incident and arrest reports, reports of property seized from arrestees, and charging documents.

"It was just a culture that existed before he got in there," said Warren Brown, Gondo's attorney. "At that time, in sure there's a change now, but in these specialty units, plain clothes units, whether it deals with guns, drugs, and that type of thing, it's easy to find yourself in the position that these officers have found themselves in."

Three others in the unit pleaded not guilty.

"I think all of them expressed remorse for either getting caught, being in court, having their careers disturbed, facing prison, absolutely," Brown said.

Gondo faces a maximum 60 years in prison for both counts.

Trials for the three officers who pleaded not guilty are scheduled for January.

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