Baltimore Police Officer Arrested on Drug Trafficking Charges

BALTIMORE — A Baltimore City police officer has been arrested by Baltimore County police on drug trafficking charges, officials said.

Police Officer Spencer Moore, a 14-year veteran of the department, was arrested on drug trafficking charges, Baltimore Police Department Interim Commissioner Gary Tuggle said Wednesday.

Baltimore County police officers were in the area of the 1600 block of Forrest Park Avenue in Woodlawn Tuesday when they saw Moore driving a silver Lexus, police said.

Officers saw Moore get out of the Lexus and walk up to a white Chevrolet pickup truck in the same parking lot. Moore handed an object to the driver of the pickup truck and then started to walk back to the Lexus, police said. Officers immediately recognized it as a drug transaction, police said.

Moore and the driver of the Chevrolet, later identified as Keon Bennett, were detained to continue the investigation. A subsequent search of the Lexus revealed three pill bottles containing over 100 oxycodone pills. Two of the bottles inside the car did not have prescription labels attached, police said.

Officers found marijuana on Bennett and oxycodone pills inside the truck, police said. Moore and Bennett were arrested at the scene, police said.

County officers learned that Moore is an officer with the BPD. He has been charged with possession with the intent to distribute a narcotic, possession of a controlled dangerous substance and obtaining a prescription by fraud. He is being held without bail at the Baltimore County Department of Corrections.

Bennett has been charged with two counts of possession with the intent to distribute a narcotic, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of over 10 grams of marijuana, and obtaining a prescription by fraud. He is being held on $50,000 bail at the Baltimore County Department of Corrections.

“We will not stand for this type of activity. We will not stand for disgrace of the badge. In the interest of trust and transparency, I want to let the community know that we do have the capacity to investigate our own. The investigation was started within the Police Department and I’m particularly proud of that,” Tuggle said.

The drug trafficking charges were brought about based on information provided by officers who conducted internal investigation to officer’s actions, Tuggle said. There were a couple of incidents Moore was involved in, but Tuggle did not elaborate on what those incidents were.

The Baltimore County Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration were brought in to assist in the prescription drugs investigation that has been going on for a couple of months, Tuggle said.

“My message is to talk about the arrest and also to talk about the fact that any type of behavior, by any individual that puts this uniform and this badge on that isn’t in the best interest of this department is simply not going to be tolerated,” Tuggle said.

Moore was on suspension with pay, until Tuesday night, when he was put on suspension without pay, Tuggle said. Multiple sources tell 11 News Moore is the son of Baltimore City Police Commander Robert Smith.

Source: http://www.wbaltv.com/article/baltimore-police-officer-arrested-authorities-say/22549182