rylan

Maryland Man Pleads Guilty for Conspiring to Hang a Noose to Intimidate an African-American Family

Joshua Wall, 20, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Baltimore for his involvement in hanging a dead raccoon from a noose on the porch of an African-American family.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Second Conspirator Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Violation in Maryland

Billie Ray Pratt, age 24, of Halethorpe, Md., pleaded guilty today to his involvement in hanging a raccoon on the porch of a family from Africa.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to Terrorists

Mohammad Hassan Khalid, 18, a Pakistani citizen and U.S. lawful permanent resident who resided in Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, stemming from his participation in a scheme to support, recruit and coordinate members of a conspiracy in their plan to wage violent jihad in and around Europe.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Maryland Business Owner Sentenced for Failing to Pay Employment Taxes

Richard Stewart, a resident of Mitchellville, Md., was sentenced to 24 months in prison and ordered to pay $5,414,647 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus for failing to pay over employment taxes in connection with his ownership of Montgomery Mechanical Services, the Justice Department and IRS announced today.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Justice Department to Monitor Election in Maryland

The Justice Department announced today that the Civil Rights Division will monitor the municipal election on June 20, 2012, in Crisfield, Md. The monitoring will ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The Voting Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the election process on the basis of race, color or membership in a minority language group.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Two Women Plead Guilty in Maryland to Civil Rights Violations

Two Baltimore women pleaded guilty today for their involvement in a racially-motivated conspiracy to interfere with an African family’s housing rights by hanging a dead raccoon on the family’s porch, the Justice Department announced.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

US Announces Clean Air Act Settlement with Wisconsin Utility – Dairyland Power Cooperative to Reduce Emissions by More Than 29,000 Tons Annually

The Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a Clean Air Act settlement with Dairyland Power Cooperative (DPC) that will cover the utility’s three power plants in Alma and Genoa, Wis. DPC has agreed to invest approximately $150 million in pollution control technology that will protect public health and resolve violations of the Clean Air Act.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Maryland Resident Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Returns

Adean Wells, of Silver Spring, Md., pleaded guilty today to filing two false individual income tax returns before Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas Hogan in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Against Baltimore County, Maryland, Alleging Disability Discrimination

The Justice Department today announced it has filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland against Baltimore County, Md.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Justice Department Reaches Settlement with Maryland Restaurant Over Accessibility Violations

The Justice Department announced today that it reached a settlement with Mrs. K’s Tollhouse Restaurant of Silver Spring, Md., to remedy alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The agreement resolves allegations that the restaurant failed to remove architectural barriers that made parts of it inaccessible to people with disabilities, including those who use wheelchairs.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Former Prince George’s County, Maryland, Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Obstruction of Justice

Anthony McIntosh, a former correctional officer at the Prince George’s County Detention Center, in Upper Marlboro, Md., today pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice for providing false information about the circumstances surrounding the in-custody death of Ronnie White on June 29, 2008.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Former Maryland Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice

Ryan Lohr, 26, a former correctional officer at the Roxbury Correctional Institution (RCI) in Hagerstown, Md., pleaded guilty today to conspiring to obstruct justice and destroy evidence from a March 9, 2008, assault of an inmate by RCI officers.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Maryland Man Found Guilty After Trial and Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison in International Child Pornography Conspiracy Case

A Maryland man was found guilty by a federal jury yesterday and sentenced today to serve 30 years in prison for his participation in a global online child pornography conspiracy.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Justice Department Sues to Shut Down Tax Preparers in Prince George’s County Maryland

The United States filed two lawsuits to shut down three tax preparers in Prince George’s County, Md.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Maryland’s St. Joseph’s Medical Center Agrees to Pay $4.9 Million for Medically Unnecessary Hospital Admissions

St. Joseph’s Medical Center, a hospital located in Towson, Md., has reached a settlement with the United States to pay $4.9 million in connection with its submission of false claims to Medicare, Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Justice Department Moves to Intervene in Lawsuit Alleging Sex Discrimination Against the State of Maryland, Queen Anne’s County and the Queen Anne’s County Sheriff

The Justice Department today moved to intervene in Murphy-Taylor v. State of Maryland, et al., a private lawsuit alleging sex discrimination by the state of Maryland, Queen Anne’s County and the Queen Anne’s County Sheriff.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Former Maryland Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Assault an Inmate

Philip Mayo, a former correctional officer at the Roxbury Correctional Institution (RCI) in Hagerstown, Md., pleaded guilty to conspiring with other RCI officers to assault an inmate at the state prison during the 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. (midnight) shift on March 8-9, 2008.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Indictment Charges Two Former Maryland Correctional Officers in Relation to an Assault of an Inmate

A third indictment, this time charging two former officers at Roxbury Correctional Institution, was returned today, in relation to assaults of an inmate, identified as K.D., and subsequent obstruction of justice.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Justice Department Shuts Down Maryland Return Preparer

A federal court has granted the United States’ request to permanently bar James M. Unterreiner II from preparing tax returns.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Former Prince George’s County, Maryland, Correctional Officer Sentenced to 24 Months for Obstruction of Justice

U.S. District Judge Alexander Williams Jr. sentenced Anthony McIntosh, a former correctional officer at the Prince George’s County Detention Center, in Upper Marlboro, Md., to 24 months in prison for obstruction of justice.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Federal Court Permanently Bars Prince George’s County, Maryland, Tax Preparers from Preparing Tax Returns for Others

Two federal judges in separate cases entered orders permanently barring Marvin Binion Sr., his son Marvin Binion II, Binion Sr.’s ex-wife Tonya Hubbard and her firm Universal Tax Service LLC from preparing tax returns for others.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Maryland Businessman Pleads Guilty to Concealing Foreign Bank Account at Israel-based Bank on His Tax Return

The Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) announced that Alexei Iazlovsky of Potomac, Md., pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California to filing a false tax return for tax year 2008.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

New Indictment Charges Maryland Man and an Illinois Woman in a Violent Sex Trafficking Conspiracy

A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging Jean Claude Roy, aka “Dredd the Don,” and “Dreddy,” age 31, of Germantown, Md., and Brittney Creason, aka“Kitty Amor,” age 19, of Detaur, Ill., of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Four Commercial Fishermen Indicted in Maryland for Illegal Harvest and Interstate Sale of Striped Bass from Chesapeake Bay

Four commercial fishermen and one company were indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in Baltimore for a criminal conspiracy involving the illegal harvesting and interstate sale of striped bass on the Chesapeake Bay.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Former Maryland Corrections Officer Convicted for Beating Inmate and Ensuing Cover-Up

The Justice Department announced that James Kalbflesh, a former correctional officer at the Roxbury Correctional Institution in Hagerstown, Md., was convicted today by a federal jury on three civil rights and conspiracy counts related to his participation in the beating of an RCI inmate in 2008 and the cover-up that followed.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Maryland Man Convicted in Violent Sex Trafficking Conspiracy

A federal jury convicted Jean Claude Roy, aka Dredd the Don and Dreddy, age 31, of Germantown, Md., late yesterday of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, three counts of interstate transportation for prostitution and witness and evidence tampering.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Maryland Man Sentenced for Defrauding Thousands of Homeowners in $4 Million Nationwide Home Loan Modification Scam

A Maryland man was sentenced today to serve one year and a day in prison for defrauding thousands of homeowners in a $4 million nationwide home loan modification scheme.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Former Maryland Sergeant Sentenced for Obstruction of Justice

Josh Hummer, formerly a sergeant at Roxbury Correctional Institution (RCI) in Hagerstown, Maryland, was sentenced today to serve 12 months and a day in prison for obstruction of justice.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Former Maryland Division of Corrections Lieutenant Sentenced for Obstruction of Justice

Edwin Stigile III, formerly a lieutenant at the Roxbury Correctional Institution (RCI) in Hagerstown, Maryland, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge James K. Bredar to serve 36 months in prison for obstruction of justice in connection with his involvement in a series of assaults against an inmate, Kenneth Davis, at RCI



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Former Maryland Correctional Officer Sentenced in Connection with Series of Assaults on Inmate

James Kalbflesh, a former correctional officer at the Roxbury Correctional Institution (RCI) in Hagerstown, Maryland, was sentenced today in connection with the March 9, 2008, assault of Kenneth Davis, an inmate



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Maryland Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking Conspiracy

U.S. District Court Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Jean Claude Roy, aka Dredd the Don, 31, of Germantown, Maryland, to serve 240 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, the Justice Department announced today



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Man Pleads Guilty to Traveling to Maryland to Engage in Sexual Activity with a Minor

Gregory King, 28, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today in connection with contacting a 13-year-old girl over the Internet and traveling across state lines to engage in sexual activity with her



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Two Maryland Fishermen Plead Guilty to Illegal Fish Harvesting Conspiracy in the Chesepeake Bay

Michael D. Hayden, 41, and William J. Lednum, 42, both of Tilghman Island, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to violate the Lacey Act and to defraud the United States through their illegal harvesting and sale of striped bass, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division Sam Hirsch, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Superintendent of the Maryland Natural Resources Police Colonel George F. Johnson IV and Regional Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Honora Gordon



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Falsifying Employee Retirement Plan Documents to Avoid Contributing to Benefit Plans

An owner of an electrical contracting company pleaded guilty today to falsifying disclosure documents required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), by intentionally under-reporting hours worked by employees to avoid contractually required contributions to employee benefit plans.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Maryland MS-13 Member Pleads Guilty in Violent Racketeering Conspiracy

A Maryland MS-13 gang member pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise known as the La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, and acknowledged his involvement in attempted murder and extortion in furtherance of MS-13.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

Former Maryland Resident Sentenced for His Role in $3.7 Million Advance Fee Scheme and Tax Evasion

A Corona, California, man was sentenced today to serve six years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release in connection with a fraudulent advance fee scheme and tax evasion.



  • OPA Press Releases

rylan

CHC Endorses Request Calling for Veto of Maryland Tax on Digital Advertising

April 6, 2020 – The Coalition for Healthcare Communication last week endorsed an urgent request to Maryland Governor Larry Hogan (R) to veto HB 732, which would put in place the nation’s first tax on digital advertising. The request, sent March 31 by national media and advertising trade associations and members of The Advertising Coalition, […]




rylan

Challenges Associated with the Suburbanization of Poverty: Prince George's County, Maryland

Martha Ross spoke to the Advisory Board of the Community Foundation for Prince George’s County, describing research on the suburbanization of poverty both nationally and in the Washington region.

Despite perceptions that economic distress is primarily a central city phenomenon, suburbs are home to increasing numbers of low-income families. She highlighted the need to strengthen the social service infrastructure in suburban areas.

Full Presentation on Poverty in the Washington-Area Suburbs » (PDF)

Downloads

Authors

      
 
 




rylan

1,000,000 of Our Neighbors at Risk: Improving Retirement Security for Marylanders

Increasingly, many Marylanders are unprepared for retirement.

The US has the broadest range of retirement savings options in the world. There are thousands of retirement products offered. But most Marylanders don’t use them.

The need is growing. The Baby Boomers are the largest generation in history. They will live longer in retirement than any generation in history.

But – financially – many are not prepared. Many have virtually no retirement savings: more than a third those within ten years of retirement age have saved less than $10,000. $10,000 invested and spent over the average person’s retirement works out to about $1,000 of income per year. Even with Social Security, that’s not much to live on.

Fears about retirement are the #1 economic concern. Many Marylanders know they’re unprepared – and they’re worried about it. Concerns about retirement security are now more broadly based than the cost of health care, fear of job loss or other economic concerns – and have been for over a decade.3 Those concerns have grown since the financial crisis, even though the stock market has recovered. Many know they’ll have to defer retirement—and many fear they will never be able to afford to retire at all.

The key to retirement saving is having a retirement plan and contributing to it every paycheck. But many businesses, including most smaller businesses, don’t offer retirement plans. As a result 1,000,000 Marylanders working in private businesses across the State don’t have a retirement plan. There are, of course, individual retirement accounts (IRAs) -- but almost no one uses them who didn’t get access through an employer-based plan via payroll deduction.

Having a plan is essential, but not a panacea. Even when plans are available, many employees don’t join. Many who do contribute and save less than they need to meet their own goals. Even with plans, many will need to save more.

The challenge continues at retirement, because most of these plans are paid out in a single lump sum payment—few plans offer reliable retirement income for life that traditional pensions do. Since most retirees do not consult financial advisors and are not financial experts themselves, some who live longer than average or are unlucky in their investments will find that they haven’t saved enough and will exhaust their savings.

They will, of course, have Social Security. That’s why it’s so important that Social Security be both preserved and strengthened. But the average monthly benefit in Maryland is about $1,300 and for most people Social Security covers only a fraction of their basic needs in retirement. Most Marylanders will need additional income from retirement savings – and the State of Maryland can help them get it.

Other states and other governments are making it easier for people to save and for private employers to help them do it. Maryland should, too. Acting now will save Maryland taxpayers millions in the future.

California, Massachusetts, and Illinois have already enacted legislation. Illinois created a new program that requires employers who have no retirement plan to automatically enroll their employees in a state-created program. Massachusetts authorized a program for uncovered employees of non-profits. California created a board to plan and propose program similar to that in Illinois. Similar legislation is being or has been introduced in some fifteen other states – states all across the country with varying political orientations, populations, and economic bases.

Although there are many variations under consideration, these programs generally provide for an automatic payroll deduction of a set amount unless the employee opts out. Funds are to be invested professionally and may be pooled to achieve higher returns and lower costs. Those who cannot or do not want to make complex financial decisions are not required to do so – their contributions are placed automatically into a reliable fund or set of funds.

In order to ensure that employers – many of whom are small businesses – can participate in a program, it must be designed to help them avoid significant disruption, expense or administrative burden. This can be accomplished by enabling employers to use current payroll processes to help their employees to build retirement security, without requiring employers to make contributions themselves.

If Maryland doesn’t act now, Maryland taxpayers will face higher costs for decades to come.

These plans are designed to be self-sustaining: their operating costs are paid for by plan contributions and the State would not assume any obligations. In practice, however, these plans will end up saving taxpayer funds: If Maryland doesn’t act now, Maryland taxpayers will face higher costs for decades to come, as retirees are forced to turn to State assistance instead of living on their own savings.

There are many ways to improve retirement security. The key is for businesses to help their employees save, without becoming overburdened themselves.

Task Force is not recommending any one approach, but strongly recommends that Maryland join other states, by developing and implementing a plan that helps Marylanders have more secure retirements.We recommend development of a specific state-based program that meets Maryland’s needs from the options discussed in our report.

We Can Do Better: Principles for Improving Marylanders’ Retirement

In developing that program, we recommend the following principles as guidelines:

Make it easier for all Marylanders to save for retirement.

  • Access: Every Marylander should have access to an automatic payroll deduction retirement savings plan through their employer. People who are self-employed or unemployed should be able to make contributions at the same time that they pay their State taxes.
  • Simplicity: People should have access to simple, low cost retirement savings plans that make enrollment automatic (auto-enrollment), that don’t require complex investment and savings decisions by providing low-cost automatic (default) options, and that enable savers to grow their saving rate over time through auto-escalation.
  • Portability: They must be able to keep their retirement savings plan when they change jobs. Individuals should never be forced out of a plan because they change or lose their jobs. Workers should have the choice of keeping their existing retirement savings in the plan when they move to another employer or consolidating their retirement savings by moving it to another retirement plan.
  • Choice: Of course, they should have the ability to change the amount that they save, change their investments, move to another plan, or stop saving entirely.

Make it easier for private employers to help their employees save.

  • Since most of the companies who do not offer a retirement plan are smaller businesses, it’s essential that they aren’t forced to take on significant additional financial, administrative or regulatory burdens.
  • Employers should be able to use their current payroll processes to quickly and easily forward employee contributions to a savings plan without assuming significant additional legal or fiduciary responsibilities or taking on significant additional cost.
  • Employer contributions should not be required, but should be permitted if allowed by federal law.
  • Consumer protection, disclosure, and other protections are essential, but these and other regulatory responsibilities should be undertaken by the program itself and not imposed on businesses.

Make it easier for Marylanders to get reliable retirement income for life.

When people retire, they no longer have a paycheck that provides reliable monthly income. They should be able to have a reliable monthly income stream from their retirement savings, too. Retirees should not have to worry about how much their retirement income might be or how long their pension will last if, like half of Americans, they live longer than average.

Investments should be low cost, provide good value, and be professionally managed.

Any program should be self-sustaining. Maryland should help Marylanders save for retirement without risking the State’s credit. It should cover its own operating costs without relying on taxpayer funding or risking the State’s credit by creating contingent liabilities.

Downloads

Publication: The Maryland Governor’s Task Force to Ensure Retirement Security for All Marylanders
      
 
 




rylan

Climate Change Activists Are Terrorists! At Least That's What the Maryland State Police Thought

I'm going to let Josh Tulkin speak mostly for himself on this one, but here's the thumbnail sketch of the situation: Tulkin received a latter from the Maryland State Police informing him that from March 2005 to May 2006 Tulkin was under




rylan

Local Businesses, Government Officials and Environmental Agencies Unite to Protect Maryland Wetlands

The state of Maryland has already shown a proclivity towards environmental programs—it has embraced wind power via positive legislation, for one. Now, it's going to clean up its wetlands. The Maryland chapter of the




rylan

Stimulus Dollars In Motion: Maryland Orders 100 Hybrid Buses

Taking advantage of the Federal stimulus package, Maryland's Governor O'Malley announced the State's intention to purchase hybrid 100 hybrid diesel/electric buses for $62 million.




rylan

Not Waiting For the Feds, Carbon Tax Enacted by Montgomery County, Maryland

Not waiting for national legislation to set a price on carbon and kickstart the journey to a low-carbon future, Montgomery County, Maryland has enacted one the country's first carbon taxes. Passed by a vote of 8-to-1 the tax




rylan

More Phone Directory Foolishness, From Maryland

What am I, the phone book blogger? It seems that way. After a ban on Yellow Pages in Seattle and a related industry lawsuit, the latest news on ditching phonebooks comes from Maryland. This time, it's the other way




rylan

Maryland's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan Given Green Light By Reviewers

Neither jobs nor electrical stability will be sacrificed by the state's proposed plan to protect the climate by reducing emissions 25% by 2020.




rylan

Stopping Liquid Natural Gas Port in Maryland a Blow Against Fracking in the Marcellus Shale, Too

Residents in southern Maryland have long felt like they live in an 'energy sacrifice zone.' They already have a nuclear power plant and now are trying to stop a liquid natural gas port.




rylan

Maryland Politicians Chicken Out on Arsenic Ban

Maryland's ban on arsenic in chicken feed would have been groundbreaking, but the bill has been gutted by lobbyists.




rylan

Tesla wins battle to sell its electric cars in Maryland, but more fights are coming...

Thanks to an exception for "electric or non-fossil-fuel-burning vehicles". Maybe all other states could do that so that other EV makers don't have to face what Tesla is facing?




rylan

Tax-News.com: US State Maryland Considering Digital Advertising Tax

On January 8, 2020, a bill was introduced in the Senate of the US state of Maryland that would impose a tax on revenues associated with digital advertising derived in the state.




rylan

Tax-News.com: US State Maryland Considering Digital Advertising Tax

On January 8, 2020, a bill was introduced in the Senate of the US state of Maryland that would impose a tax on revenues associated with digital advertising derived in the state.