By Allan Lengel
ticklethewire.com
A Baltimore cop is off to prison for two years and six months for extortion in a towing scheme that scandalized the department.
U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake of Baltimore on Monday sentenced Baltimore office Jerry Diggs, Jr., 25, who was involved in a scheme in which brothers Hernan Moreno and Edwin Mejia paid Diggs and more than 50 other officers to arrange for their car repair company, Majestic, to tow vehicles from accident scenes and make repairs. The cops bypassed the city-authorized towing company.
The judge also ordered Diggs to pay $13,105.09 in restitution.
“Officer Diggs chose a treacherous path that included taking bribes, filing false police reports and committing insurance fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein in a statement. “Even as we condemn such criminal conduct, we should pause to thank the many police officers who serve with honor and integrity.
