May 30, 2017: Gary Brown, Jr., Statement Of Facts In Support Of Guilty Plea

STATEMENT OF FACTS IN SUPPORT OF GUILTY PLEA

Gary Brown, Jr. (the Defendant) served as a legislative aide to then Senator Catherine Pugh from 2010 until her election as Mayor of Baltimore. During the time period relevant to the present indictment, he also served as a volunteer campaign worker during her mayoral race in a position he described as “Assistant to the Senator”.

On or about January 13, 2016, the Committee to Elect Catherine E. Pugh (the Committee) received a $6000.00 check drawn on the checking account of the Defendant’s mother, Desiree Johnson. On that same day, the Committee received a $3000.00 contribution debited from the checking account of the Defendant’s stepfather, Samuel Johnson and another $3000.00 contribution debited from the bank account of the Defendant’s younger brother, Danny Brown. On or about March 11, 2017, The Committee received an additional $3000.00 campaign contribution that was debited from the bank account of Samuel Johnson and on or about April 8, 2016, the Campaign received another $3000.00 campaign contribution check drawn on the checking account of Danny Brown. The above cited campaign contributions totaled $18,000.00

An extensive investigation which included analysis of campaign bank accounts and the bank accounts of the above referenced family members, as well as interviews and questioning of the above parties indicated that, in all the instances cited above, The Defendant, after obtaining the bank account information of Desiree Johnson, Samuel Johnson and Danny Brown, deposited cash into their respective bank accounts to cover each contribution and then either presented a signed check to the Committee or engaged in a check card purchase transferring the money to the Committee. Desiree Johnson, Samuel Johnson and Danny Brown each admitted to state investigators and would testify at trial that they provided their bank information to the Defendant but that the money withdrawn from their accounts in each instance was not their money and they did not intend to contribute their own funds to the Committee. All these events occurred in the State of Maryland.

Emmet Davitt

Maryland State Prosecutor

300 E. Joppa Road, Suite 410

Towson, Maryland 21401

(410) 321-4067