Baltimore Defense Attorney Kenneth Ravenell Convicted Of Money Laundering Conspiracy
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A high-profile Baltimore defense attorney faces up to 20 years in federal prison after he was convicted Tuesday of a money laundering charge.
Kenneth Wendell Ravenell, 61, of Monkton, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit money laundering, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland said.
Jurors acquitted Ravenell of several other charges, including racketeering conspiracy, narcotics conspiracy, conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, falsification of documents and obstructing an official proceeding.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Ravenell received drug money from his clients and associates, some of it in exchange for laundering money. It is estimated that he laundered over $1 million using his law firm's bank accounts.
Prosecutors contended that Ravenell also used his firm's resources to arrange payments to attorneys hired to represent other members of the conspiracy, and to make investments on behalf of a client who was a drug trafficker.
Attorney Joshua Treem and Sean Gordon, a private investigator who worked for Ravenell, were acquitted of charges including conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, falsification of documents and obstructing an official proceeding.
Ravenell faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison at his sentencing hearing, which is scheduled to begin on May 14.