Dylan Segelbaum
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breaking news, police, courts, lawsuits, local news
Reporter @BaltimoreBanner. Past: The York Daily Record/Sunday News (@ydrcom). @SyracuseU/@DailyOrange graduate. Always in search of a damn fine cup of coffee.
Articles by Dylan Segelbaum
Man admits to intentionally setting 3 fires that terrified neighbors in Hampden
A man will serve more than five years in federal prison for intentionally setting three fires in Hampden that were part of a wave that rattled the Northern Baltimore community and put neighbors on edge. Justin Reeves pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Baltimore to one count of malicious destruction of property by fire. âI just want to say Iâm sorry for my actions,â Reeves, 29, of Remington, told U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher.
Baltimore Police sergeant pleads guilty to stealing more than $5,200 by inflating pay
A Baltimore Police sergeant resigned Wednesday and then admitted to pocketing more than $5,200 through two separate schemes to illegally inflate his pay. Mark Rutkowski, who had been a 25-year veteran, pleaded guilty in Baltimore Circuit Court to theft and misconduct in office. Following his indictment in March, he had been suspended without pay. In 2024, the Baltimore Police Department conducted an audit of its payroll, uncovered discrepancies with his compensation and put him under surveillance.
Baltimore Police officer guilty of assault, but not attempted murder, judge rules
A Baltimore Police officer who was captured in a viral video driving directly at a man with his patrol vehicle during a pursuit has been found guilty of second-degree assault, misconduct in office and reckless driving, a judge ruled Thursday. But the judge found him not guilty of the most serious charges lodged against him of attempted murder and first-degree assault.
Baltimore officer captured in viral video stands trial for attempted murder
Antrell Smith remembers the roar of the engine. On Oct. 28, 2025, Smith was outside Wylie Liquors Bar in Northwest Baltimore with a group of people when Baltimore Police Officer Robert Parks pulled up and told them to move along. They complied. But Parks started following Smith. âHey, Antrell. Come here,â Parks told Smith. âJust donât make it worse.â Smith started to walk away. Thatâs when Parks turned down an alley, accelerated and drove directly at Smith, who ran into a field.
Former Maryland juvenile detention employee pleads guilty to sexually abusing 11 boys
A former Maryland juvenile detention center employee pleaded guilty Monday to sexually abusing 11 boys between 1968 and 1991. Ronald Neverdon, who held various positions at the Charles H. Hickey Jr. School from 1973 until his retirement in 2013, faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Circuit Judge Robert Cahill Jr. scheduled sentencing for Sept. 29. Outside the courtroom, Neverdonâs attorney, Tony Garcia, declined to comment before sentencing.
Ex-Woodlawn Middle School teacher admits to sexually abusing a student
A former Spanish teacher at Woodlawn Middle School admitted Monday to sexually abusing and exploiting a student who was between 14 and 16 at the time. Sydnie Haywood, 34, of Pikesville, pleaded guilty in Baltimore County Circuit Court to nine counts of fourth-degree sex offense. Prosecutors are not asking for additional jail time.
Man gets 85 years in Morgan State homecoming shooting that left 5 wounded
A Washington man convicted of opening fire and wounding five people during homecoming celebrations at Morgan State University in 2023 was sentenced Wednesday to serve 85 years in prison. As Baltimore Circuit Judge Althea Handy handed down the punishment for five counts of attempted second-degree murder and related crimes, she described Marquis Brown as a danger to the community who made an unimaginable choice. ‚ÄúThis was a senseless, senseless shooting,‚ÄĚ Handy said.
Ex-Baltimore officer pleads guilty to ‘remarkably stupid’ doctor’s note scheme
A former Baltimore Police officer will not spend any time in jailafter admitting Wednesday to submitting fraudulent doctor’s notes and getting paid for time that he missed at work. Harrison Brandon, 28, of Northeast Baltimore, pleaded guilty in Baltimore Circuit Court to misconduct in office and received two years of probation. He served more than five years with the department and resigned last year while under investigation.
No additional jail time in fatal hit-and-run in Baltimore County
An Owings Mills man will not have to spend any more time in jail for fatally striking a 71-year-old pedestrian with a vehicle last year in Baltimore County and leaving the scene. Baltimore County Circuit Judge Andrew Battista said at a Tuesday sentencing hearing that Mahmood Chaudhry made a poor decision when he hit Gerald Pettaway Sr. on Old Court Road near Bedford Avenue in Pikesville on Nov. 11, 2025, and failed to stop,call 911 and provide first aid.
Baltimore Police officer faked traffic stops to avoid calls, prosecutors say
A Baltimore Police officer falsely claimed that he was making traffic stops so he would not have to respond to calls for service, prosecutors allege. Officer Dequwan Houchins, who’s been in the department for more than five years, was indicted Friday in Baltimore Circuit Court on charges of making a false entry into public records and misconduct in office. As part of the investigation, undercover detectives watched him idling in his patrol vehicle and ordering a smoothie, court papers say.
Maryland Republicans file lawsuit to stop redistricting ballot question
Republican lawmakers are suing to stop a ballot question on congressional redistricting from appearing before Maryland voters in November. The GOP is fighting to preserve the state’s only Republican seat in Congress, held by Rep. Andy Harris since 2011. In a lawsuit filed late Thursday in Anne Arundel Circuit Court, several state delegates, state senators and an outside conservative group say Maryland Democrats rushed the legislative process and violated a state law governing ballot questions.
Life sentence handed down in Baltimore killing of off-duty DC police sergeant
Donita Watts can no longer enjoy fireworks on the Fourth of July. The sound of balloons popping also startles her, she said, and the thump of books hitting the floor puts her on edge. On Nov. 4, 2017, Watts and her boyfriend,Metropolitan Police Sgt. Tony Mason Jr., were sitting in his car on Elgin Avenue in Walbrook, talking, drinking and listening to music. He was off duty at the time. That’s when another vehicle pulled up alongside them, and two gunmen opened fire, wounding the couple.
Ex-Pikesville athletic director at center of AI case pleads guilty to child sex crime
A former athletic directorwho used artificial intelligence to impersonate the principal of Pikesville High School and severely harm his reputation admitted Tuesday to sexually exploiting at least five children and faces up to 30 years in federal prison. Dazhon Darien appeared before U.S. Senior District Judge James Bredar and pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a child.
You’ve been served — on TikTok. Baltimore teacher uses social media to sue right-wing influencer.
First, they tried serving her the lawsuit at a luxury condo in South Florida. Then they attempted to find her at her business, only to discover that it used a virtual mailing address. When that failed, they sent the court documents to multiple email addresses and via certified mail to elicit a response. Those efforts proved futile.
Federal judge orders release of father detained by ICE on Baltimore school campus
A man who was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Baltimore school grounds will be released from detention, a federal judge ruled Thursday. U.S. District Judge Julie Rubin ruled that ICE lacked probable cause to arrest Jesus Acevedo Sanchez and ordered the federal government to release him from the Farmville Detention Center in Virginia by 11:59 p.m. “The court reached the right result today.
Maryland prisons rank among nation’s worst for killings
Prisoners are more likely to be killed in Maryland than in nearly any other state, with a homicide rate last year that was nearly four times the national average, based on available data gathered by The Banner. Since 2023, 32 incarcerated people in state-runcorrectional facilitieshave been killed. That’s more than all ofMaryland’s neighboring states combined.
Judge orders mother detained on Baltimore school campus released from ICE custody
Adriana Gavilan Sanchez could be on her way back to her family. U.S. District Judge Matthew Maddox ordered the mother, who was detained on a Baltimore school campus last month, to be released from immigration custody before 5 p.m. Wednesday. Gavilan Sanchez, who’d been held at the Caroline Detention Facility in Virginia, no longer appears on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement online detainee locator system. Her attorney, Rachel Girod, declined to comment.
Families sue Baltimore housing authority over Brooklyn Homes mass shooting
The families of two people killed in 2023 during a mass shooting at Brooklyn Homes are suing the Housing Authority of Baltimore City, alleging the public agency had a duty to provide security that could have prevented their deaths.
Teen receives maximum sentence for shooting Rodgers Forge soccer coach
A Baltimore County judge on Monday sentenced a teen to serve 25 years in prison for shooting and severely wounding a beloved youth soccer coach in Rodgers Forge during an attempted robbery, a crime that rattled the quiet community near the city line. Circuit Judge Robert Cahill Jr. said “the facts of this case could hardly get any worse” as he ordered Kai Wilson to serve the maximum sentence under a plea agreement for attempted second-degree murder and use of a handgun during a violent crime.
Man pleads guilty to murder in Edmondson Village Shopping Center mass shooting
A man is set to be sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in a mass shooting that killed one high school student and wounded four others in the Edmondson Village Shopping Center in 2023, an act of violence that ignited outrage and sparked calls for change.
Man sentenced to 70 years in prison for deadly shooting on MTA bus in Baltimore
A man was sentenced Friday to serve 70 years in prison for fatally shooting a fellow passenger on a Maryland Transit Administration bus in downtown Baltimore. Prosecutors allege the victim dropped a bottle of Gatorade and refused to apologize. Baltimore Circuit Judge Kimberly McBride said she believed James Richburg did not set out that afternoon looking for trouble; he expressed remorse for killing William Womack, 30, on South Eutaw Street on Nov. 30, 2024, she noted.
Apartment company co-owned by Jared Kushner must pay over $4M in damages, Baltimore judge rules
A Baltimore judge has ruled that more than 17,000 current and former tenants of an apartment company co-owned by President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, are entitled to over $4.17 million in damages — plus interest. Circuit Judge Paul Cucuzzella on Tuesday came down in favor of the tenants, finding that Westminster Management illegally charged late fees and billed for court costs that it did not incur at 17 properties in Maryland.
An island in the Bahamas? Brandon Chasen grilled at his final bankruptcy hearing
Dressed in a gray blazer, dark cargo pants and a pair of Nike Air Jordan sneakers, Brandon Chasen, once a darling of the Baltimore real estate world known for his lavish lifestyle, endured more than four hours of questioning Tuesday in the final meeting of creditors in his personal bankruptcy case. Minneapolis attorney Michael Collyard grilled the 40-year-old developer.
Former Baltimore teacher not criminally responsible for shooting cop during mental health crisis
He doesn’t remember the shooting. Andrew Britt said he was experiencing a mental health crisis when he shot Baltimore County Police Officer Jordan Riddick, attempted to kill Officer Brian Smith and assaulted Officer Jesse Wright in the parking lot of the Wilkens precinct in Catonsville on March 13, 2025. But Britt said he was deeply remorseful for his actions, adding that he regretted the trauma he inflicted that afternoon.
Baltimore County man guilty of murder in triple shooting that killed his 4-year-old son
A Baltimore Countyman was found guiltyTuesday of second-degree murder and related crimes for fatally shooting his 4-year-old son and wounding both his 1-year-old daughter and the mother of his children on Christmas Eve 2024. Mark Jones Jr. stood between his two attorneys and did not visibly react to the verdict. Baltimore County Circuit Judge Dennis Robinson Jr. scheduled sentencing for Sept. 11.
Son-in-law criticized ‘dirty courts’ before killing Timonium attorney, prosecutors allege
A man railed against what he described as “dirty courts” and remarked to a friendthat he might as well live in a jail cell before fatally shooting his father-in-law in Baltimore County, prosecutors alleged Tuesday. Assistant State’s Attorney Michael Fuller revealed those details during a court hearingas he argued Mark Ryan should continue to be held without bail in the killing of Robert MacMeekin, 74, an attorney at Fine, Kelly & MacMeekin in Timonium.
Baltimore County judge won’t throw out murder case over warrantless cellphone search
A Baltimore County judge won’t throw out the case against a man charged in a fatal stabbing after a police detective looked through his cellphone without a search warrant and later lied about it. Detective Storm Sheckells accurately guessed the passcode to Rashard Mack’s iPhone — it was his date of birth — and unlocked it on five separate occasions, according to court testimony. He’s been suspended with pay pending an internal investigation, police said.
Public schools immune from some older sexual abuse allegations, state high court rules
Public schools are immune from lawsuits alleging sexual abuse that happened before mid-1971, the Maryland Supreme Court ruled this week. In recent years, the legislature moved to make it easier for survivors of child sexual abuse to seek redress.The Child Victims Act of 2023 removed time limits for them to file lawsuits and hold institutions accountable.
Baltimore County detective suspended after warrantless search of murder suspect’s phone
A Baltimore County Police detective has been suspended after he looked through a cellphone belonging to a murder suspect without a search warrant and later lied about it. For weeks, the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office maintained that police did not go through Rashard Mack’s iPhone until after they got a warrant. But prosecutors later acknowledged that investigators gained access to the phone several times before that happened.
Ex-Pikesville High assistant principal sues Baltimore County schools over AI deepfake
Kathryn Albert, who was the assistant principal of Pikesville High School when its athletic director used artificial intelligence to impersonate the principal and destroy his reputation, is suing the perpetrator and Baltimore County Public Schools. Dazhon Darien, the former athletic director, created a deepfake audio in 2024 that made it sound like his principal, Eric Eiswert, uttered racist and antisemitic comments. Albert’s name was mentioned in the audio.
Ex-Baltimore County youth pastor pleads guilty to sexual abuse of a minor
A former youth pastor in Baltimore County faces up to four years in prison after admitting to sexually abusing a teen between 2007 and 2009. Thomas Pinkerton Jr., who used to work at Central Christian Church in Rossville, appeared Monday before Baltimore County Circuit Judge Marc DeSimone Jr. for what was scheduled to be the start of his trial. Instead, he pleaded guilty to one count of sexual abuse of a minor.
Man convicted of attempting to rape Johns Hopkins University student on campus in 2025
A man accused of attacking a student on the campus of Johns Hopkins University is guilty of attempted rape and related crimes, a judge ruled Friday.
Police can no longer stop to search based on sole suspicion of a gun, appeals court rules
Police in Maryland can no longer stop and search someone solely based on their suspicion that the person is carrying a gun, the state’s full appeals court ruled in a sweeping opinion that some law enforcement agencies worry could curtail police practices statewide. The ruling Thursday by the Appellate Court of Maryland was prompted by a case involving Baltimore Police officers who stopped a man only because they believed he had a gun.
Johns Hopkins University student testifies about fighting off man who attacked her on campus
The international student at Johns Hopkins University said shewas taking an evening stroll during fall break last yearwhen a stranger approached. He patted her on the shoulder, asked her for directions on how to leave the Homewood campus in North Baltimore and thanked her for her help, she testified Thursday. Then he ran off. Later that night, when the student was walking around Decker Quad, listening to music and scrolling through TikTok, she said someone grabbed her from behind.
Chris McBride was sentenced to life for murder. A Maryland law gave him a second chance.
Maryland lawmakers last year passed a hotly debated bill allowing some people who’ve served significant time for crimes they committed when they were young to have their sentences reconsidered. Chris McBride wanted to be among the first people in prison to have their case reviewed. More than three decades ago, aFrederick County jury found McBride guilty of first-degree murder afterhe stabbed a man to death when he was 23. A judge sentenced him to life in prison.
She rejected a plea deal. Now prosecutors will seek homicide charges in city employee’s death.
Prosecutors said they will seek homicide charges against a woman who’s accused of participating in a fatal beating of a 71-year-old Baltimore transportation department employee during a dispute over a parking space. Last October, the employee, Gregory Turnipseed, asked a driver to move her SUV out of the parking space in Mount Vernon, Baltimore Police said. But the two occupants turned on Turnipseed and severely beat him. He died several weeks later from his injuries.
Man charged with threatening family of Cockeysville crash survivor with gun
A Timonium man was arrested Sunday evening after allegedly threatening and brandishing a semiautomatic gun at the family of Liam O’Donoghue, a 16-year-old Calvert Hall student who lost an arm in a car crash that killed two of his friends last month.
Chris McBride was sentenced to life in prison for murder. Should he get a second look?
The message from a college friend glowed in the GettingOut app on Chris McBrideâs tablet insidea Western Maryland prison. âHave you called your sister today?â It had been more than six months since he asked a judge to reduce his sentence under a new, hotly contestedstate law that allows those whoâve served significant time for crimes they committed as young adults to demonstrate that theyâve changed. McBride, now 56, knew he had after 32 years in prison. But what would a judge think?
Ex-Frederick Police corporal pleads guilty to possessing child sexual abuse material
A former Frederick Police corporal faces up to five years in prison after admitting Thursday to possessing child sexual abuse material. James Dodson Jr., 39, of Emmitsburgpleaded guilty in the Adams County Court of Common Pleas in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to two felonies â criminal solicitation to distribute child pornography and possession of child pornography â according to court records. As part of a plea agreement, Dodson could be sentenced to 1 1/2 to five years in prison.
Man sentenced to life without parole for fatally shooting 2 teens near The Mall in Columbia
A man who fatally shot two teens near The Mall in Columbia was sentenced on Friday to serve life in prison without the possibility of parole — plus 70 years. Emmetson Zeah, 19, of Columbia, was found guilty at a bench trial in Howard County Circuit Court earlier this year of two counts of first-degree murder and related crimes in the killings of Michael Robertson, 16, a sophomore at Wilde Lake High School, and Blake McCray, 15, a freshman at Oakland Mills High School.
For Maryland’s Jan. 6 defendants, money isn’t everything
Adam Obest said he’s recovered after being arrested, charged and prosecuted in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. But he said others haven’t been as fortunate. “When the government comes down on you, it can destroy your life,” said Obest, 45, who lives in Thurmont in Frederick County.
Boxer Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis’ $20M countersuit against ex-girlfriend is thrown out
A Floridajudgeon Monday threw out a $20 million countersuit that boxer Gervonta “Tank” Davis filed against his ex-girlfriendover what he claimed was a scheme to frame and extort him. In the lawsuit filed in March, Davis alleged that Courtney Rossel provoked a fight at Tootsie’s Cabaret, a strip club in Miami where she worked as a VIP cocktail waitress. But Miami-Dade County Circuit Judge Milton Hirsch ruled against him at the end of Monday’s brief hearing.
Man convicted in Morgan State University homecoming shooting that wounded 5
A Washington, D.C. man was convicted Friday of opening fire during homecoming celebrations at Morgan State University in 2023, wounding five people. Marquis Brown, 20, was found guiltyof five counts of attempted second-degree murder and related crimesin Baltimore Circuit Court. At the time, he was 17. He was acquitted of one count of conspiracy to commit murder and five counts of attempted first-degree murder. Brown did not visibly react to the verdict.
Maryland admitted misclassifying dozens of deaths in police custody. A year later, little has changed.
Kayla Hensley remembers watching the trial of a former Minneapolis Police officer charged in the death of George Floyd, turning to her husband and remarking, “This seems a lot like what happened to my dad.” Twenty years ago, her father, Theodore Rosenberry, 35, died after Washington County sheriff’s deputies used a Taser to restrain him. But Maryland’s chief medical examiner office underDr. David Fowlerruled his manner of death could not be determined.
Man pleads guilty to murder in shooting at senior living community in Baltimore
A man with a prior murder conviction will serve up to 25 years in prison for a double shooting that killed a fellow resident at a senior living community in Baltimore and caused nearby schools to go into lockdown.
Trial begins for man charged in Morgan State shooting that wounded 5 during homecoming
As students, parents and other visitors celebrated homecoming, Morgan State University Police Detective Durel Hairston was trying to keep people safe. On Oct. 3, 2023, Hairston was working traffic control, making sure that people could cross Argonne Drive after the coronation of Mister and Miss Morgan State University. Then he heard gunfire. ‚ÄúI couldn‚Äôt tell how many shooters,‚ÄĚ Hairston testified on Monday in the Elijah E. Cummings Courthouse in Baltimore.
Woman who helped run sham pet cremation business faces grieving owners in court
The loss of Charlie was devastating. Lindsay Taylor wanted to hold a funeral to honor the memory of her nearly 16-year-old Chihuahua. So she contacted Loving Care Pet Cremations in Catonsville, where Yalanda Ward, the ownerâs wife, attended every meeting. During the service, Yalanda Ward even comforted her as she grieved, Taylor said. âShe was there,â Taylor said in the Baltimore County Courts Building. âShe watched me cry.â But Loving Care Pet Cremations was a sham.
Driver in I-695 crash that killed 6 highway workers lands in prison over McDonald’s trip
A trip to McDonald’s cost Melachi Brown his freedom. On Dec. 9, 2025, Baltimore County Police pulled Brown over on Liberty Road near Rolling Road in Milford Mill at about 2:30 a.m. after spotting him driving a car with broken taillights. He told officers he was giving a ride to a friend who just got out of the hospital. But Brown did not have a valid driver’s license.
Ex-Turnstile guitarist faces potential life sentence after indictment
Brady Ebert, a founding guitarist of the Baltimore hardcore band Turnstile, is facing a new charge that could lead to life in prison after detectives allege he intentionally hit the lead singer’s father with a car and left him with severe injuries. A Montgomery County grand jury on Thursday indicted Ebert on an upgraded charge of attempted first-degree murder. He previously had been facing charges including attempted second-degree murder, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
Former McDonogh teacher, Living Classrooms founder accused of abuse in lawsuit
A former student at McDonogh School is alleging in a new lawsuit that a faculty member sexually abused her, which she says she reported to the school nearly 40 years ago. The woman filed the lawsuit on Friday in U.S. District Court in Baltimore against the school and G. Dennis O’Brien According to the lawsuit, O’Brien, who helped found Living Classrooms in 1985, started off by making sexual comments and engaging in inappropriate conduct before his behavior escalated to physical abuse.
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