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Friday, May 11, 2018

Mayor Pugh Places De Sousa On Paid Suspension Until Federal Charges Resolved


RadioOnFire.com - At a press conference announced on less than an hour's notice, Mayor Catherine Pugh announced that "upon review of the circumstances," she is placing police Commissioner Darryl De Souza on paid suspension, effective immediately.
De Sousa was charged Thursday with three counts of willfully failing to file federal tax returns. In a statement, De Sousa admitted to failing to file federal and state returns for 2013, 2014 and 2015. If convicted, he could face up to three years in federal prison.
Federal prosecutors also said in a filing that "law enforcement continues to investigate [De Sousa] for additional violations of federal criminal law." 
Deputy Commissioner Gary Tuggle, who heads the Strategic Investigations & Support Services Bureau, will serve as acting commissioner. Deputy Commissioner Andre Bonaparte, who heads the Operations Bureau, will remain in place.
De Sousa defense attorney Steve Silverman said De Sousa didn't know there was a federal investigation of his tax filings until the charges were filed, and wasn't given the chance to explain or mitigate the missed filings.
"Most taxpayers in this situation are first given an opportunity to cure--by filing belated tax returns," Silverman said in a statement "Criminal charges are usually a last resort by the government after the tax payer has ignored the government's warning."


He said that if the Internal Revenue Service or authorities reached out to De Sousa, they would have learned he was currently seeking assistance from a professional tax consultant to file the outstanding returns.
"It is also noteworthy that Commissioner De Sousa was at all time a W-2 employee of Baltimore city and subject to withholdings," he said. "This is not a situation where he failed to pay any taxes."
In a statement Thursday evening, Pugh said she still had "full confidence" in her police commissioner. On Friday, she spoke highly of the community policing strategies and reforms enacted on his watch.
"Commissioner De Sousa has been an effective leader of the police department as the downward trend in violence makes clear," she said. "That said, I believe his suspension pending resolution of this matter is in the best interest of the Baltimore Police Department, the City of Baltimore and him personally."
De Sousa, 53, was named commissioner-designate in January, replacing Kevin Davis, who failed to reverse a rising tide of violent crime. A 30-year department veteran, his appointment was welcomed with praise from City Council members and the police union. The New York native first came to Baltimore to attend Morgan State University, but left to join the police force.

Source WBAL

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