Former Baltimore officer in corrupt unit goes to prison

BALTIMORE – A former Baltimore police officer accused of committing crimes as part of a corrupt department unit has been sentenced to prison.

The Baltimore Sun reports that U.S. District Court Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Jemell Rayam on Tuesday to 12 years in prison, following the recommendation of prosecutors.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Hines reminded the judge that Rayam once gave guns and police uniforms to two friends and had them break into a home where Rayam knew $20,000 was inside. In another break-in, Hines said Rayam put a gun in a woman’s face.

Rayam was part of the Gun Trace Task Force, which prosecutors say resold looted narcotics, robbed people and falsified evidence. Rayam apologized and his co-operation was credited with leading to the indictment of at least four co-conspirators.

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Information from: The Baltimore Sun, http://www.baltimoresun.com