UPDATE: (2/16/2024): On January 16, 2024, Acosta pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter and was sentenced to three years, all suspended, and two years of supervised probation.
ORIGINAL STORY:
A police officer already under indictment in Baltimore County for dealing drugs now faces additional theft charges in Baltimore City.
Officer Cejus Watson, 39, has been suspended from the Baltimore Police Department without pay since December 19.
That's when a Baltimore County grand jury handed down an indictment, accusing him of selling marijuana at a Reisterstown tattoo parlor.
On Thursday Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan Bates said Watson was on the clock and supposed to be working at the time of the drug deal.
RELATED: BPD officer suspended after being indicted in county on allegations of selling marijuana
According to charging documents, the deal took place on September 29, 2022.
That morning Watson arrived and punched in on time for his regularly scheduled shift of 7am to 3:30pm.
At 12:43pm he allegedly left his post without authorization and never reported back.
In between Watson's accused of going to the tattoo parlor to sell the drugs.
Prosecutors say Watson was at the parlor from approximately 1:18 to 1:34pm, before heading to his Owings Mills home.
He apparently remained at home until his shift ended and clocked out electronically from there.
In total prosecutors say Watson was missing from work for 2 hours and 19 minutes, all while being paid.
Bates said Watson's actions cost City taxpayers more than $100.
Aside from the felony distribution charge in the County, Watson now has to answer to one count each of misdemeanor theft and misconduct in office.
Watson is scheduled for trial in the County on June 1.
In the meantime his police powers remain suspended.
Watson was just one of two City police officers indicted Thursday.
Bates also announced charges against officer Alexis Acosta for the June 2022 death of 58-year-old Terry Harrell.
Acosta is accused of driving a police car in a criminally negligent manner.
MORE: Graphic footage released of scooter driver colliding with patrol car
Harrell was riding a scooter when Acosta allegedly ran a red light and fatally struck him. The incident was captured on a CitiWatch camera.
Acosta now faces six separate counts of criminal traffic violations.
