UPDATE: Sharonda Stokes and Dephany McKnight have pleaded guilty and have each been sentenced.

Original story below…

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TOWSON, MD—Maryland State Prosecutor Charlton Howard announced this week that a Baltimore County grand jury has indicted five correctional officers with felony theft scheme and misconduct in office.

The indictments allege that, during their employment as correctional officers for the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, Kimberly Brown, Erica Byrd, Dephany McKnight, Syreeta Saunders, and Sharonda Stokes were prohibited from making changes to their documented work hours in the human resources management program Workday.

The defendants, however, exploited a flaw in the Workday mobile application to change their documented work hours, claiming many additional hours they did not work. Their fraudulent reporting resulted in a collective theft of more than $380,000 from the State of Maryland.

“Public employees who abuse positions of trust to enrich themselves at the expense of Maryland taxpayers must be held accountable,” said Howard. “Our office will continue to investigate and where appropriate prosecute any allegation of criminal behavior by state or local public officials.”

“This was an outstanding joint investigation,” said Robert Green, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. “Our detectives and the State Prosecutor’s team developed a strong case and worked collaboratively and thoroughly to secure indictments.”

The five indictments can be viewed here.