Latest news with #HarfordCountySheriff'sOffice
CBS News
29-04-2025
- CBS News
Harford County pastor charged for allegedly stealing $100K from church
A Harford County pastor is facing several charges after investigators say he stole more than $100,000 from his church. Pastor Daniel Champ is charged with theft of over $100,000 and embezzlement from the First Baptist Church. Pastor Daniel Champ is charged with theft of over $100,000 and embezzlement from the First Baptist Church. CBS News Baltimore "They would talk about holding meetings and not say why, and then all of a sudden the pastor was gone, he was just gone," said an anonymous member of First Baptist Church in Bel Air. Suspicious bank charges noticed According to the Harford County Sheriff's Office, church officials noticed suspicious bank charges and missing money last October. According to the indictment, the theft began in January 2019 and continued until he was caught in 2024. Investigators say Pastor Champ took more than $135,000 for personal use, such as DoorDash, PayPal, and sports betting. A member of the church, who didn't want to be identified, said the church still has not addressed the crime. "I was very disappointed that they didn't come out honestly and tell us what was happening, why they weren't forthcoming and honest," the church member said. "Because money goes to that church, that's the people's money. And why weren't they honest? Why didn't they just tell people?" Multiple attempts to reach the church were unsuccessful "I think they need to come clean and be honest with the people. I think the people need to know," the church member said. Pastor ordered to move off church property The Harford County Sheriff's Office says Champ was removed from the church account and has 60 days to move from the residence on church property. He is set to appear in court next month.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Harford County Council appoints Allison Imhoff to represent District B
The Harford County Council appointed Allison Imhoff to represent District B Tuesday night, filling the vacancy left by former Councilman Aaron Penman after a judge ruled earlier this year that Penman could not serve as a councilmember and also be employed by the Harford County Sheriff's Office. Imhoff, 38, is a social worker and a sixth-generation Harford County resident. She said the main reason she applied for the position is because she wants to see her community flourish as a safe space for young families to grow. Serving District B is Imhoff's first time in a political office and she said she is very much looking forward to the work. 'I am looking forward to learning about the budget that we are starting to work on tomorrow,' Imhoff said, referencing the council's first budget work session at 9 a.m. Thursday. 'Considering this is my first political office, it is going to be a learning experience but I am very much looking forward to the challenge.' After she was appointed and sworn into office Tuesday night, Imhoff said outside of the budget, she is focused on supporting key stakeholders like rural farmers and suburban residents in wake of concern from community members over growing residential and business development. Imhoff's appointment follows the removal of Penman in February. Penman, a Republican, was a council member and a sergeant with the Harford County Sheriff's Office where he earned an annual income of $199,376 from the county — $146,265 from the sheriff's office and $53,111 as a council member. A Harford County Circuit Court judge ruled in January that Penman's dual employment was a conflict of interest that violated the county charter. Penman was given 30 days to either terminate his employment with law enforcement or resign from the council. Penman appealed the 30-day period to the Appellate Court of Maryland, which upheld the Harford County Circuit Court's ruling. The Maryland Supreme Court later overruled that decision and allowed Penman to stay on council temporarily while it decided if it would take up the case. Penman was removed from office Feb. 26, pursuant to the Circuit Court's order, after the state high court decided not to hear his case. Penman has an active appeal with the Maryland Appellate Court and a hearing set for May. Despite his ongoing legal push, Penman said he is happy for Imhoff and offered congratulations on her appointment. The new council appointment marks the second time in three months that a sitting council member has been removed and replaced due to legal action. In January, about a month before Penman's removal, Councilwoman Nolanda Robert was appointed to represent District A after former Councilman Dion Guthrie, a Democrat, was removed for theft allegations. Both Imhoff and Robert will have to defend their seats in the 2026 council elections. Have a news tip? Contact Matt Hubbard at mhubbard@ 443-651-0101 or @mthubb on X.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rachel Morin case: What to expect in murder trial of Maryland mother
BALTMORE — The trial of the man accused in the 2023 killing of Rachel Morin, which sparked fear in the Bel Air community and later became a talking point in the immigration debate amid the presidential race, is set to start this week. The 37-year-old Bel Air mother of five was reported missing by her boyfriend on Aug. 5, 2023, hours after she went for a walk on the Ma & Pa Heritage Trail in Bel Air. Morin's body was found in a ditch the next day, about a mile from the trailhead, after what the Harford County Sheriff's Office described as 'a violent attack.' Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez, 24, of El Salvador, was arrested in June in Oklahoma and is facing several charges, including first-degree rape and first-degree murder in Morin's death. His trial, predicted to last two weeks, is expected to draw national attention, with Bel Air police warning of traffic delays around Harford County Circuit Court and the closure of several roads, including Courtland and Office streets. The case is set to begin Monday with a pre-trial hearing, followed by several days of jury selection. Opening statements are tentatively set for Friday. Martinez-Hernandez entered the United States illegally in 2023, authorities said, after having been accused of murdering a woman in El Salvador. He is also accused of assaulting a mother and daughter during a home invasion in Los Angeles. On the campaign trail last year, then-candidate Donald Trump spoke with Morin's family members numerous times and invited them to the Republican National Convention in July. There, Morin's brother Michael addressed a crowd of thousands, telling them his sister 'was raped and murdered by a suspected illegal immigrant' in what has been 'described as among the most brutal and violent offenses that has ever occurred in Harford County, Maryland history.' 'Open borders are often portrayed as compassionate and virtuous. But there is nothing compassionate about allowing violent criminals into our country and robbing children of their mother,' Michael Morin said. 'My sister's death was preventable.' Despite the emphasis placed on immigration in this case, experts say Martinez-Hernandez's prior allegations and illegal entry into the U.S. will probably not be spoken about during his trial. 'I understand from a political perspective why this is relevant in today's world, but it has nothing to do with if he is guilty or not guilty of committing this crime,' said Anne Arundel County criminal defense attorney Peter O'Neill. 'It is highly prejudicial and is not probative to if he is guilty or not guilty.' O'Neill, a member of the Maryland Bar since 1985 and a senior partner at the Murnane & O'Neill law firm, said that if the 'extraneous information' regarding Martinez-Hernandez's immigration status, the political traction the case has gained and the prior allegations were to be brought up during the trial, the chances of a mistrial would increase. Michael Steele, former Maryland lieutenant governor and MSNBC political analyst, emphasized the importance of ignoring politics and focusing on due process in the case. 'Justice is blind to take the emotion out of it so our courts and justices and jurors can look objectively at the facts and rule based on law,' said Steele, a Republican. 'The infection of politics into this space by Trump and anyone else is not only unwarranted, it's outside of the bounds that the framers had in mind when designing a balance between the branches.' The defense team for Martinez-Hernandez — comprised of four public defenders — requested that the trial be moved outside Harford County in January due to concerns about Martinez-Hernandez getting a fair trial due to the controversy surrounding the case. Harford County Circuit Court Judge Yolanda Curtin denied the request and said jury questioning — formally known as voir dire — is a trusted process to eliminate biased jurors. O'Neill explained that jury selection in Maryland is limited and does not allow the defense or prosecutors to probe too far into a potential juror's background. Numerous jury selection requests have been filed ahead of the trial, according to online court records. O'Neill said the filings are likely a request to expand jury questioning to further eliminate potential bias. 'They are trying to get a fair and impartial jury and the defense is asking the court to grant relief to allow for a more exhaustive voir dire to avoid a scenario of questioning that yields very little information,' O'Neill said. 'You don't want a situation where someone disregards evidence and convicts someone because of immigration policy.' Randolph Rice, the attorney for Morin's mother, Patricia Morin, said he believes Martinez-Hernandez's defense team will try to question potential jurors on immigration and that the presiding judge will decide on any requests for additional questions. Rice, a former prosecutor, does not expect the trial to be postponed for a second time and anticipates jury selection to take two to three days. Speaking on behalf of Patricia Morin and other family members, Rice said the family met with prosecutors Tuesday and is anxious about the trial. 'Patty has the feeling that when Rachel was found, she wasn't there to protect her,' Rice said. 'She said she is having that same feeling now that she can't protect her at the trial, but she knows she is in good hands with the state's attorney's office who has been working on the case for 18 months at this point.' The day Morin's body was discovered, Rice said Harford County State's Attorney Allison Healy was at the scene. With Healy working on the case for over a year, Rice called the trial a 'clean case' for prosecutors and said he expects the trial to go on for a week and a half to two weeks. He said he expects forensic genealogy experts, witnesses, officers from Tulsa, Oklahoma and even FBI investigators to testify during the trial. Healy declined to comment due to the pending trial. --------------
CBS News
28-01-2025
- CBS News
Proposed bill would prevent police in Maryland from pulling drivers over for certain offenses
BALTIMORE -- A proposed bill in Maryland is getting some attention after the Harford County Sheriff's Office shared a social media video criticizing the measure. Senate Bill 292 would prevent police officers in the state from pulling drivers over for certain infractions like littering out of a car window, failing to use a turn signal, driving with a broken head- or taillight, and driving or parking in a bus lane. The offenses would become secondary actions, meaning officers could not use those offenses as the primary reason for a traffic stop. The bill would also define illegal U-turns and an expired registration as secondary offenses. If an officer failed to comply with the provisions of the bill, they could face disciplinary action and any evidence gathered during that traffic stop would be inadmissible in court. Officers would be required to document stops Under the proposed bill, officers in Maryland would be required to document and follow certain procedures for all traffic stops. When initiating a traffic stop, an officer would be required to show identification and provide their name, badge number and affiliated agency to the driver along with the reason for the stop. The officer would also have to document the reason for the stop. Failure to comply would again result in disciplinary action, but would not exclude evidence found during the stop. The bill would also allow citizens to record a police officer's actions as long as the citizen is acting legally and safely. The Maryland General Assembly is expected to discuss the bill during a hearing Tuesday. If passed, it would take effect in October 2025. Harford County Sheriff's Office criticizes proposed bill Legislative Alert: If you drive a motor vehicle on Maryland roadways, you will want to spend a few minutes and hear about a proposed law change that will have a hearing tomorrow in the Maryland Senate. Posted by Harford County Sheriff's Office on Monday, January 27, 2025 In a video shared on social media, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler and other members of the department highlighted infractions that would become secondary offenses under the bill. "...This bill sponsor went the additional measure to make sure that it's pointed out that if a police officer mistakenly pulls someone over, that that officer is subject to administrative discipline," Sheriff Gahler said in the video. "You really cannot make this stuff up." Other bills in the 2025 legislative session There are plenty of other major bills to keep an eye on as the 2025 legislative session continues. The Maryland General Assembly has yet to vote on Governor Wes Moore's proposed 2026 budget that would tackle a $2.7 billion budget crisis. The proposed budget would bring major tax cuts for 66% of state residents and increase taxes for the highest earners. The budget would also raise the sports betting tax from 15% to 30%, the table game tax from 20% to 25% and the cannabis tax from 9% to 15%. The proposed budget would also cut $111 million in state funding from the University System of Maryland, and allocate $3.63 million to Maryland's Department of Transportation for projects across the state. State leaders are planning to introduce a bill that could gradually raise the state's minimum wage to $20. The legislation would create a constitutional amendment ballot question in November 2026.
