BALTIMORE — A longtime aide to former mayor Catherine Pugh is following her to federal prison.
On Friday, Gary Brown Jr. was sentenced on corruption charges. He will serve two years and three months in prison.
They stem from the mayor's 'Healthy Holly' book scandal, where she sold self-published books to enrich her campaign for mayor.
“As a public servant, Gary Brown should have placed the interests of Baltimore City residents above his own,” said United States Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Instead, Brown conspired with the former Mayor and others to line their own pockets and to avoid paying their taxes. Baltimore City faces many pressing issues, and we need dedication and integrity from our public servants—not corruption—in order to solve them. Law enforcement will continue to be vigilant for evidence of fraud and corruption, to ensure that our citizens receive the honesty and professionalism they deserve from government officials.”
“Gary Brown displayed a flagrant abuse of power by deceiving and defrauding the public and the government for his own personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Boone, of the FBI's Baltimore division. “We have no tolerance for public corruption and will continue to root out violations of the law. The sentence today is the result of a partnership with the IRS Criminal Investigation, Department of Labor OIG and the Baltimore City Inspector General's Office.”
“Rather than setting an example for the citizens of Baltimore, Brown demonstrated a blatant disregard for the law,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Kelly R. Jackson. “Brown not only neglected to accurately report his income to the IRS but he also falsified tax documents on behalf of others, actions which erode the confidence in public officials as well as our tax system.”
Brown was Pugh's right-hand man for the scheme. He had previously been convicted of violating election laws in 2017.
He gave $18,000 in campaign donations to Pugh's campaign when the max allowed was $6,000.
Pugh is serving a three year sentence at a federal prison in Alabama.
