November 13, 2024: Former Prince George’s County Council Member Jamel “Mel” Franklin Sentenced to Jail for Felony Theft and Perjury.

Maryland State Prosecutor Charlton T. Howard, III, announced today that Jamel R. Franklin, former Prince George’s County Council Member, has been sentenced to five years incarceration, all but one year suspended, and three years of supervised probation, for one count of Felony Theft Scheme over $100,000, and five years incarceration, all suspended, for one count of Perjury, to run concurrently, and was ordered to pay $133,168.67 in restitution, by the Honorable Mark W. Crooks in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County. 

Franklin served as Prince George’s Council Member representing District 9 from 2010 to 2018, and was the At-Large Council Member representing all of Prince George’s County from 2018 through June 2024. He established his campaign committee “Friends of Mel Franklin” in 2009 to raise funds for his election for County Council.

Maryland law isolates candidates from their campaign committee’s finances, and mandates that each committee has a treasurer, separate from the candidate. Beginning in 2010, however, Franklin was the only individual with access to the Friends of Mel Franklin campaign committee’s finances, and fundamentally functioned as the committee’s treasurer.

From 2014 to 2023, Franklin stole at least $133,168.67 from his campaign committee, and used those funds to pay for, among other things, international trips, hotels, dinners, cosmetic procedures for himself and a close friend, and personal hotel-stays.

The transactions for Franklin’s personal gain were not reported on the required campaign finance reports for the Friends of Mel Franklin campaign. Franklin signed dozens of false campaign finance reports under the penalties of perjury and submitted them to the State Board of Elections.

“I’m proud of our office’s efforts to uncover this fraud and continue to hold elected officials accountable for their wrongful actions,” said State Prosecutor Howard.  “We hope that this dissuades others who may seek to use their official position for personal gain or to interfere with the integrity of Maryland elections.”

Mr. Howard also thanked Senior Assistant State Prosecutors Abigail Ticse and Joyce McDonald, Special Agent Daniel Bralove, and former Special Agents Latisha Beal and Ruth Jarrel, for their hard work on this case, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their assistance.

A copy of the charging document can be found on our website at HERE.

Contact:  media.osp@maryland.gov