Baltimore Landlord Sentenced for Bribery | Annapolis News

A Baltimore landlord just got 13 months in federal prison plus 8 months home confinement after bribing a city official with $25K over four years to erase his water and tax bills — all while claiming he was desperate due to overbilling and squatters. He handed cash in envelopes in a men’s bathroom and made online payments, blaming pandemic eviction protections and city bureaucracy for his downfall. The judge rejected his excuses, calling for more remorse, while prosecutors argued white-collar crimes demand tough penalties to deter others. His lawyer insisted Erny was remorseful and that the real issue was an unresolvable water bill. The scheme involved Joseph Gillespie, a city employee sentenced last year — texts show Erny even preferred paying him over corrupt politicians. The city lost over $147K, and Erny must repay nearly $450K, including fraud from federal COVID loans — though his lawyer says he’s already made major payments. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/edb0f72e53e8b4b4