Baltimore County Man Pleads Guilty to Bribing Former Baltimore City Official

Erny admitted to paying at least $25,000 in bribes to remove financial obligations to the city.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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A Baltimore County man named James Carroll Erny, Jr. has pleaded guilty to bribing a former Baltimore City finance official, Joseph Gillespie, and fraudulently obtaining nearly $990,000 in COVID-19 relief funds. Erny admitted to paying at least $25,000 in bribes to Gillespie in exchange for removing several of Erny's financial obligations to the city, resulting in a loss of over $145,000 for the city. Erny also pleaded guilty to a separate scheme in which he fraudulently obtained $996,240 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds and tried to obtain over $100,000 in Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing issues of public corruption and fraud related to COVID-19 relief programs in the Baltimore region. The bribery scheme involving a city finance official abusing their position for personal gain erodes public trust, while the PPP and EIDL fraud schemes took advantage of emergency relief funds intended to support struggling businesses during the pandemic.

The details

According to court documents, Erny engaged in the bribery scheme with Gillespie from December 2019 to August 2023. Erny, who owned at least eight properties in Baltimore, bribed Gillespie to remove or delay unpaid citations, tax obligations, and water obligations. Erny provided Gillespie with cash-filled envelopes, sometimes meeting him in the men's bathroom of the city-owned Able Wolman Municipal Building. Gillespie was sentenced to four years in federal prison for his role in the scheme in February 2025.

  • Erny engaged in the bribery scheme with Gillespie from December 2019 to August 2023.
  • Gillespie was sentenced to four years in federal prison in February 2025.
  • Erny is scheduled for a sentencing hearing on June 9.

The players

James Carroll Erny, Jr.

A 55-year-old Baltimore County man who pleaded guilty to bribing a former Baltimore City finance official and fraudulently obtaining nearly $990,000 in COVID-19 relief funds.

Joseph Gillespie

A former Baltimore City Department of Finance employee who was sentenced to four years in federal prison for his role in the bribery scheme with Erny.

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What they’re saying

“We must hold accountable those who abuse their positions of public trust for personal gain, whether through bribery, fraud, or other corrupt means.”

— Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland

What’s next

Erny is scheduled for a sentencing hearing on June 9, where he could face a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.

The takeaway

This case underscores the ongoing challenges of rooting out public corruption and fraud, particularly related to COVID-19 relief programs, and the importance of strong oversight and accountability measures to protect taxpayer funds and maintain public trust in government.