Former state employee from Essex indicted for theft, insurance fraud

UPDATE: Shanell West has pleaded guilty to the charges. Original story below… BALTIMORE, MD—Attorney General Anthony G. Brown on Wednesday announced the indictment of Shanell Angelia West, 45, of Essex, in two separate cases involving theft and insurance fraud. In the first case, West was allegedly involved in a theft scheme related to her former employment at the Maryland Department […]

State officials announce launch of Maryland Sexual Assault Evidence Kit tracking program

BALTIMORE, MD—Governor Wes Moore and Attorney General Anthony Brown, in partnership with the Maryland Sexual Assault Evidence Kit (SAEK) Policy and Funding Committee and the Governors’ Office of Crime Prevention and Policy (GOCPP), have announced the launch of a statewide tracking system for Sexual Assault Evidence Kits (SAEKs). “When survivors can count on accountability in our justice system, we have […]

Attorney General Brown announces $700 million multistate settlement against Johnson and Johnson

BALTIMORE, MD—A coalition of 42 attorneys general has announced a $700 million settlement with Johnson & Johnson over its marketing of the Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower products. The attorneys general allege (PDF) that Johnson & Johnson misled consumers about the safety of the talc-based products, which have been linked to ovarian cancer. The company has agreed to […]

Baltimore woman indicted for operating sex trafficking ring throughout Maryland

BALTIMORE, MD—A Baltimore woman has been indicted on charges of running a sex trafficking ring throughout the state of Maryland. Attorney General Anthony G. Brown on Monday announced that Kenika Danielle Leach, 33, of Baltimore, has been indicted by a Washington County grand jury in a 135-count indictment. The charges stem from a two-year multi-agency investigation led by the Attorney […]

Scammers targeting E-ZPass users in fake text messages

BALTIMORE, MD—Attorney General Anthony G. Brown is warning consumers about scam texts falsely claiming to represent a road toll collection service asserting that recipients owe money for unpaid tolls. The scam text looks similar to the example displayed below: Maryland Toll Services: We’ve noticed an outstanding toll amount of $12.51 on your record. To avoid a late fee of $50.00, visit […]

Attorney General Brown supports FTC effort to protect car buyers

BALTIMORE, MD—Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has joined a multistate coalition of 19 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief (PDF) in National Automobile Dealers Association et al. v. FTC, supporting the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) defense of its new Combating Auto Retail Scams (CARS) Trade Regulation Rule. The rule addresses several persistent unfair and deceptive practices in the auto […]

Maryland selects law firms for potential Key Bridge collapse litigation

BALTIMORE, MD—A team of five law firms has been selected by the Maryland Transportation Authority to assist the state in its lawsuit against the parties responsible for the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. The announcement was made by Attorney General Anthony G. Brown this week. The firms were selected from a pool of candidates that submitted proposals for legal services […]

Body-worn camera footage from fatal police pursuit in Baltimore County released [VIDEO]

BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland Attorney General’s Office has released the body-worn camera footage from an April police pursuit that resulted in a fatal, wrong-way crash on I-695. At just after midnight on Monday April 8, 2024, Baltimore County Police Department officers located a stolen vehicle in the 1800-block of Belmont Avenue (21244). Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver […]