BALTIMORE, MD- Fox5 affiliate WBFF reported that over half of the thirty-two candidates currently vying for the position of Baltimore Mayor have criminal records.
Likely they’re trying to keep up with disgraced former mayor, 69-year old Catherine Pugh.
Where to begin.
Let’s start with Pugh. In November of last year, Pugh plead guilty to the federal charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and two counts of tax evasion, crimes which she had been committing from November 2011 through their discovery in March of 2019.
Her sentencing is set for February 27.
Fraud runs deep in Baltimore City. The former mayor is about to do hard time, and it will set an example for the other corrupt politicians in the town. https://t.co/7FCsBOJPGH
— l E T 17 (@Inevitable_ET) February 14, 2020
Then we have the candidate that was already forced to leave office in disgrace, 65-year old Sheila Dixon. Dixon was originally indicted in January of 2009 for twelve counts of theft and theft related charges.
She was ultimately convicted of embezzlement. Dixon stole gift cards which were intended for low-income citizens.
Dixon ran for mayor after her four year probation against Pugh and narrowly lost. She’s hoping that this time enough voters have “forgiven” her and will make her their city’s mayor once again.
Some other winners:
William Herd, whose crimes were malicious destruction of property, breaking and entering, and passing bad checks.
Clergyman David Anthony Wiggins, who was charged with false imprisonment, harassment, failure to comply with a peace order, and filing a false application to purchase a firearm.
Richard Vaughn, whose crimes include felony theft, carjacking, and harassment charges.
Zulieka Baysmore was charged with failing to return a rental vehicle.
Other charges of fishing without a license, theft, and minor misdemeanors can be found throughout several other candidates’ histories. These reports, mind you, are solely those reported within the State of Maryland.
Way to go, Baltimore. Your politics suck, and so does your criminal justice system.
On February 7, Khaled Heeba, who was 31-years old, was living in Baltimore. Khaled was a Syrian refuge who survived through years of oppression, war and violence there.
He came to America with his sister and his parents in 2016 for an escape, and to find his American dream. He was the sole provider for his family and coworkers described him as a “quick learner and hard worker.”
He was working as a pizza delivery man in Baltimore when he was shot and killed. The suspect encountered Khaled during a delivery. Something happened between the two, according to surveillance footage, and Khaled ended up chasing the suspect. The suspect fired one time at Khaled and hit him in the chest. With the ultimate suspect luck, Khaled was killed.
Khaled Heeba fled the most dangerous place on earth in 2016, escaping Syria’s civil war with his parents and sister to come to the United States for a better life. He settled in Baltimore. https://t.co/RaC7zI6stW
— The Baltimore Sun (@baltimoresun) February 18, 2020
According to a fundraiser created in Khaled’s honor to assist Syrian refugees:
“While working his last delivery route before Friday prayer, Khaled witnessed a distressing situation taking place and rushed into action.
He jumped out of his car and chased after the man who has caused the disturbance. The man pulled a gun on Khaled and killed him instantly.
Khaled never made it to Friday prayer or home to his family. He died a few blocks away from home.
Khaled lived his entire life caring for those around him. He was killed while caring for someone he had never met. We’d like to continue his legacy of compassion and selflessness.”
At the time of this writing the fundraiser had received over $17,000 in donations.
A coworker of Khaled’s, Kimberly Mcmanaway said:
“This is the life we live in right now. This is a war zone here. Do you leave your country to come here when ours is a war zone? Everybody’s killing someone around the corner that you know.”
Another coworker, Theresa Birmingham, said, “He left his own country because it was a war zone in Syria, just for him to end up getting murdered here. He was just really a sweet guy.”
What a sad notion. Flee a civil war in one of the most dangerous countries in the world. Come to one of the most dangerous cities in the greatest country in the world. Get killed.
Khaled Heeba survived #Syria's civil war, which has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced over seven million, to finally get to the United States.
But he could not survive the streets of #Baltimore:
Shot, killed while delivering pizza:https://t.co/fIY2hypvYR#crime
— Michael Johns (@michaeljohns) February 19, 2020
Kimberly also said:
“He came here not knowing anything, adapted to our culture, and then this happens.”
There has yet to be an arrest made in Khaled’s murder. Police have released a video showing the suspect, although you can’t see his face.
On February 7, 2020, 31 year-old Khaled Heeba was fatally shot in the 1300 block of W. Franklin Street.Homicide detectives need your help identifying the suspect. Call detectives at (410) 396-2100 or call Metro crime Stoppers at 1-866-7lockup if you know his identity.https://youtu.be/Ew_gkVWXrR4
Posted by Baltimore Police Department on Tuesday, February 18, 2020
There have been forty-three homicides in Baltimore so far this year, which is eleven more than there were this time last year.
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