Gun Trace Task Force Scandal and Corruption in Baltimore Maryland

The Gun Trace Task Force (GTTF) was established in 2007 as an elite unit within the Baltimore Police Department (BPD), with a mission to remove illegal firearms from the streets and curb violent crime. Baltimore, a city plagued by high homicide rates and persistent gun violence, needed an aggressive police strategy. The unit, composed of highly selective officers, was given broad autonomy to operate with minimal oversight, an approach that later proved disastrous.

The officers in GTTF were authorized to conduct undercover operations, execute search warrants, and make high-profile arrests. Under the leadership of Sergeant Wayne Jenkins, the task force was credited with seizing hundreds of illegal firearms. However, beneath the surface of their supposed success, a culture of corruption, lawlessness, and abuse was festering, eventually turning the unit into one of the biggest police scandals in U.S. history.

The Rise of Corruption Within the Task Force

Over time, instead of protecting the public, members of the Gun Trace Task Force used their positions for personal gain. The unit engaged in a broad range of illegal activities, including robbery, drug dealing, falsifying reports, and overtime fraud. Officers stole large sums of money from civilians, particularly drug dealers, under the guise of law enforcement.

The lack of accountability within the Baltimore Police Department enabled the GTTF to act with impunity. Supervisors rarely questioned their actions, and officers manipulated the system by claiming fraudulent overtime hours, significantly boosting their paychecks while spending minimal time on actual police work.

Sergeant Wayne Jenkins, who took over the GTTF in 2016, was at the center of the corruption. Under his leadership, the officers carried BB guns to plant on suspects, staged fake drug busts, and resold seized drugs. Jenkins actively encouraged officers to rob suspects during raids, often splitting the stolen money with his team.

High-Profile Crimes Committed by the GTTF

Several instances of blatant criminal activity committed by GTTF officers illustrate the extent of their misconduct:

• Robberies and Extortion: Officers conducted illegal traffic stops and home raids, stealing large amounts of money, drugs, and valuables from people they were supposed to arrest. They targeted suspected drug dealers, knowing these individuals would be hesitant to report stolen money.
• Drug Reselling: Confiscated narcotics, instead of being logged into evidence, were funneled back onto the streets and sold.
• Overtime Fraud: GTTF members routinely billed the city for overtime they never worked, in some cases claiming to be on duty while they were out of state on vacations.
• Planted Evidence: When necessary, officers planted weapons and drugs on suspects to justify false arrests or violent confrontations.

One of the most chilling examples of GTTF misconduct involved Detective Momodu Gondo, who admitted to working with drug dealers while still serving as a police officer. He provided protection for drug shipments and gave tips to criminals to help them evade law enforcement.

The FBI Investigation and Arrests

Despite the alarming pattern of misconduct, the Baltimore Police Department failed to police its own officers. The exposure of the Gun Trace Task Force did not come from internal affairs but rather from an FBI investigation.

In 2017, the FBI wiretapped GTTF officers, uncovering extensive evidence of corruption. After months of surveillance, federal agents arrested eight members of the unit, including Sergeant Wayne Jenkins, Daniel Hersl, Marcus Taylor, Momodu Gondo, Jemell Rayam, Evodio Hendrix, Maurice Ward, and Thomas Allers.

The FBI’s findings shocked the city. Baltimore residents had long suspected police misconduct, but the level of corruption within the GTTF exceeded what many believed possible. The indictments detailed years of criminal activity, from armed robberies and drug dealing to blatant abuse of overtime pay.

Court Trials and Sentencing

Following their arrests, several GTTF officers cooperated with the prosecution, leading to guilty pleas and lengthy prison sentences.

• Wayne Jenkins, the unit’s leader, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to racketeering, robbery, and drug dealing.
• Daniel Hersl and Marcus Taylor, who fought the charges at trial, were convicted and sentenced to 18 years each.
• Momodu Gondo, Jemell Rayam, and Evodio Hendrix received lesser sentences in exchange for cooperating with federal prosecutors.

These convictions led to a wave of civil lawsuits filed by victims of GTTF abuses, with Baltimore forced to pay millions in settlements.

The Death of Detective Sean Suiter

One of the most mysterious and controversial events linked to the GTTF scandal was the death of Detective Sean Suiter.

Suiter, a Baltimore homicide detective, was scheduled to testify before a federal grand jury about the misconduct of his fellow officers. The day before his testimony, on November 15, 2017, Suiter was found dead from a gunshot wound in a vacant lot in West Baltimore.

The initial assumption was that Suiter was killed in the line of duty, leading to a massive manhunt for a suspect. However, speculation quickly emerged that Suiter’s death was a suicide or an orchestrated murder to silence him. The Baltimore Police Department’s handling of the case only added to suspicions.

A later investigation by independent forensic experts found inconsistencies in the official story, leading to continued debate over whether Suiter’s death was a suicide or a setup.

The Impact on Baltimore’s Criminal Justice System

The exposure of the Gun Trace Task Force had wide-ranging consequences:

1. Hundreds of Convictions Overturned: Cases handled by the GTTF were reviewed, leading to more than 300 overturned convictions for individuals who had been wrongfully arrested or had evidence planted against them.
2. Damaged Trust Between Police and the Public: The scandal deepened the already strained relationship between the Baltimore Police Department and the community. Many residents already distrusted the police, and the revelations about GTTF officers reinforced perceptions of systemic corruption.
3. Calls for Police Reform: In the wake of the scandal, there were demands for increased oversight of specialized police units and stronger civilian review boards to investigate misconduct.

Efforts to Reform the Baltimore Police Department

In the aftermath of the GTTF scandal, both city and federal officials pledged to reform the Baltimore Police Department:

• The Department of Justice placed the BPD under a federal consent decree, requiring major changes in policies, training, and oversight to prevent future abuses.
• Independent commissions were formed to investigate why the GTTF operated unchecked for so long.
• Baltimore introduced new accountability measures, such as enhanced body camera policies and stricter hiring practices for officers.

Cultural Impact: “We Own This City”

The Gun Trace Task Force scandal was later dramatized in the HBO miniseries “We Own This City,” based on journalist Justin Fenton’s book of the same name. The show highlighted the corruption, arrogance, and systemic failures that allowed the GTTF to operate with impunity.

Conclusion

The Gun Trace Task Force scandal was one of the worst cases of police corruption in modern U.S. history. While the officers involved were ultimately brought to justice, the damage they inflicted on Baltimore’s criminal justice system, its police department, and its communities remains profound.

Though reforms have been implemented, many Baltimore residents remain skeptical about whether true accountability can ever be achieved. The lessons from the GTTF scandal serve as a stark reminder of what can happen when law enforcement is left unchecked, and why transparency and accountability are essential to restoring public trust in the justice system.