Posted on 03/11/26
| News Source: FOX45
Baltimore, MD - Mar. 11, 2026 - Three Baltimore police officers were indicted in separate cases of wage theft, the Baltimore City State’s Attorney's Office announced Tuesday.
Authorities reported that Lieutenant Welai Grant, Sergeant Mark Rutkowski, and former BPD Officer Harrison Brandon all face charges of theft, forgery, and misconduct.
Lt. Grant was indicted on one count of theft between $1,500 and $25,000, as well as two counts of misconduct in the office.
According to Grant's indictment, after being promoted to Lieutenant, she failed to show up for her overnight shifts on eight occasions between September and November 2025 and still recorded her hours on the timesheet and received payment for those evenings, officials reported.
If found guilty, Grant faces a maximum penalty of five years and/or a fine of up to $10,000 for the theft charge.
Sgt. Mark Rutkowski was also indicted on one count of Theft between $1,500 and $25,000 and three counts of Misconduct in Office.
In Rutkowski’s indictment, officials said that from October 2024 to February 2025, he allegedly inflated the hours by clocking in when he left his house and not clocking out until he got home.
This resulted in a small amount of overtime paid each day for these non-worked hours.
Furthermore, Rutkowski was allegedly using another employee's computer to cancel his own leave, which resulted in both overtime and penalty pay under the police collective bargaining agreement for the canceled leave.
If found guilty, Rutkowski faces a maximum penalty of five years and/or $10,000 in fines for the Theft charge, authorities reported.
“Two of the police officers charged today are current members of this department and have allegedly defrauded the communities we are sworn to protect and serve,” Police Commissioner Richard Worley said, via press release.
Former BPD officer Harrison Brandon was indicted on one count of Forgery, two counts of Identity Fraud, one count of Theft between $100 and $1500, and two counts of Misconduct in Office, according to the report.
Beginning in August 2024, Brandon allegedly submitted fraudulent doctor’s notes on five separate occasions while working as an officer to receive sick leave pay, officials said.
Authorities noted that Brandon resigned from his position after being notified of the investigation.
If found guilty of all charges, Brandon faces a maximum penalty of one year and/or a $500 fine for each Identity Fraud charge, and six months of incarceration and/or a $500 fine for the Theft charge.