City Employees Arrested For Gambling & Drinking On Duty
BALTIMORE (WJZ)—Drinking and gambling on the job. That's the shocking allegation against more than a dozen city workers.
Weijia Jiang shows us how police caught those workers.
Police say this all surfaced after someone who works with the suspects reported their bold gambling parties were happening when they were supposed to be servicing the city.
Boozing and gambling on the job, at the expense of taxpayers. It's what police say Baltimore Department of Transportation employees did twice a month at the 3200-block of East Madison Street at the DOT building where they work.
"On pay day, which is every other Friday, various members of the agency were having a gambling party," said Anthony Guglielmi, Baltimore City Police.
Just before 3 p.m. Friday, investigators found the workers throwing dice around a bottle of champagne and a pile of cash in a break room.
Investigators seized about $6,300.
"They ain't suppose to be doing stuff like that. Gambling on the job? You can do that after work, not on the job," said Kim, a Baltimore taxpayer.
Police say when authorities broke the party up, the workers became unruly, running in many directions. They say one man—68-year-old Michael Flowers—even became violent with an investigator. He is charged with assault.
"We pay enough in tax," said Jerome Johnson, Baltimore taxpayer. "We pay enough for transportation. We pay enough for everything. That's outrageous. It's really outrageous."
DOT spokesperson Adrienne Barnes says those charged are part of a special events unit that sets up festivals and parades around the city.
For now, they are all suspended without pay.
"I do hope they're reprimanded and lose their jobs," said Virginia O'Mara, Baltimore taxpayer. "It would send a message to other departments: no hanky panky during work hours."
"Then they wanna know why they get laid off every five seconds or why they down in Annapolis furloughing, but you're not doing your job. You're not doing the right thing with our money, our taxpayers money," said Kim, a Baltimore taxpayer.
The Baltimore City Department of Transportation released this statement:
"Any activity which undermines the integrity of the Department of Transportation will not be tolerated. This investigation was initiated by DOT and executed by the Inspector General's Office. Beyond that we cannot comment further. It is now a police matter."
In addition to Flowers, the following DOT workers are suspected of gambling: Kevin Shellington, Carlton Baskerville, Frank Trauntan, Franklin Fisher, Sean McGilbeary, Allen Hack, Gary Mackey, David Decarlo, Yusef Shaw, Dedric Benson, Christopher Hawkins and Frank Troutman.
The gambling charge is considered a misdemeanor. Police, along with the office of the inspector general, continue to investigate the gambling parties.
Court records show several of the suspects have criminal records. One is on probation for possessing a handgun.
