BALTIMORE (AP) - A former supervisor with the Baltimore Department of Public Works has pleaded guilty to extortion after prosecutors accused him of accepting cash payments for work he had department crews perform for private businesses.
The U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release that Ronald M. Smith, 46, of Elkton, Maryland, admitted that he accepted cash payments for the work he had caused DPW workers perform.
According to prosecutors, Baltimore plumber Philip Michael Loverde obtained plumbing contracts through his company and directed private developers and contractors to Smith to install further services without obtaining the necessary permits.
According to court documents, Smith and Loverde ran the scheme from January 2014 through February 2016. In all, Smith admitted he received at least $64,000 for the work performed by DPW crews.
Loverde pleaded guilty to similar charges in January. Smith faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment. U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake has not yet scheduled sentencing dates for Smith or Loverde.
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