Dunbar High officer, football coach indictment reveals details on his wire and fraud charges
BALTIMORE - A federal indictment against Former Dunbar High School football coach Lawrence Smith uncovers new details surrounding his federal wire and fraud charges just a few days after his arrest.
Smith, one of the most successful football coaches in Maryland with seven championships, was arrested on Friday.
The 49-year-old school police officer was taken into custody by the FBI on overtime fraud and tax violation charges following allegations he paid himself more than $215,000 dating back to 2005.
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This newly unsealed indictment reveals the alleged trail of deceit prosecutors characterize as his fraud scheme.
The Perry Hall resident stands accused of using his position as a manager in his role as a school police officer and later as a detective in which he assigned himself overtime shifts for hours prosecutors say he didn't work, between January 2019 through August 2022.
Smith is accused of submitting false overtime slips and directing large sums of money into a Bank of America account.
In November 2019, more than $1,600 was deposited in connection to work as a school police officer. A month later, more than $8,100 was deposited.
The following year, $7,200 was deposited.
The indictment also points to submitted W-4 tax forms falsely claiming Smith was exempt from federal income tax withholding. It goes on to show that Smith did not file individual income tax returns for 2017, 2019 and 2020.
Prosecutors claim Smith's web of deceit reveals he was at home, running personal errands, at other locations socializing, coaching football and even out of state on vacation.
According to our media partner, The Baltimore Banner, Smith earned $94,000 in overtime pay on top of a salary of about $62, 500 between October 2020 and 2021.
He is listed as the highest-paid school police officer during that year, making nearly $30,000 more in overtime pay than any other officer.
Smith has been removed from his position with Baltimore City Public Schools. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
