{{Short description|Baltimore police officer}} {{Infobox police officer | name = Wayne Jenkins | image = File:Wayne Jenkins mugshot.webp | caption = Mugshot, 2018 | birth_place = [[Middle River, Maryland]], U.S. | department = [[Baltimore Police Department]] | service_years = 2003-2017 | rank = Sergeant | alma_mater = [[Eastern Technical High School]] | module = {{Infobox military person |embed = yes |allegiance= United States |branch= [[United States Marine Corps]] |service_years= 1998-2001 |rank=Corporal |unit= |battles= |awards= }} }}
'''Wayne Earl Jenkins Jr.''' (born 1980) is a former [[Baltimore Police Department]] (BPD) sergeant who was the ringleader of the [[Gun Trace Task Force]] (GTTF),<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Bates |first=Josiah |date=2022-04-25 |title=The True Story Behind 'We Own This City' |url=https://time.com/6168269/we-own-this-city-true-story-hbo-max/ |access-date=2024-08-22 |magazine=TIME |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Williams |first=Timothy |date=2018-02-06 |title=In Baltimore, Brazen Officers Took Every Chance to Rob and Cheat |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/06/us/baltimore-police-corruption.html |access-date=2024-08-22 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Deggans |first=Eric |date=May 3, 2022 |title=HBO's 'We Own This City' is the closest fans will get to a sequel of 'The Wire' |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/04/25/1094590786/hbo-we-own-this-city-the-wire-baltimore-police |work=NPR}}</ref> a [[Plainclothes law enforcement|plainclothes unit]] that engaged in widespread criminal activities while on duty.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=TV |first1=Roxy Simons |last2=Reporter |first2=Film |date=2022-04-25 |title=Where Is Ex-Sergeant Wayne Jenkins Now? Corrupt Cop From 'We Own This City' |url=https://www.newsweek.com/ex-sergeant-wayne-jenkins-own-city-hbo-1699333 |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=Newsweek |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Lussenhop |first=Jessica |date=2021-09-28 |title=Wayne Jenkins from behind bars: 'I sold drugs as a dirty cop' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-58710164 |access-date=2024-08-22 |work=BBC |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-26 |title=The True Story Behind 'We Own This City' Is Almost Too Shocking to Believe |url=https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/a39814840/we-own-this-city-true-story-wayne-jenkins/ |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=Men's Health |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-03-02 |title=Seven Baltimore cops were indicted on federal racketeering charges on Wednesday |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/seven-baltimore-cops-indicted-federal-racketeering-n727716 |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mallonee |first=Mary Kay |date=2017-03-02 |title=7 Baltimore officers accused of abusing power |url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/03/01/us/baltimore-police-officers-racketeering-charges/index.html |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref> Jenkins, along with other members of the GTTF,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-29 |title=Inside The GTTF: What Happened To The Officers In Baltimore's Biggest Police Corruption Scandal - CBS Baltimore |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/inside-the-gttf-what-happened-to-the-officers-in-baltimores-biggest-police-corruption-scandal/ |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fenton |first=Justin |date=2023-01-30 |title=Ex-Baltimore Police detective acquitted in final GTTF fallout case |url=https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/community/criminal-justice/ex-baltimore-police-detective-acquitted-in-final-gun-trace-task-force-fallout-case-X2R3EA23YNHWFBPCVHCPWKIDPI/ |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=The Baltimore Banner |language=en}}</ref> was convicted on federal charges including [[racketeering]], robbery, and [[overtime]] [[fraud]] in one of the most notorious police corruption scandals in Baltimore's history.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2018-02-13 |title=2 ex-Baltimore officers convicted in police corruption scandal - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/2-ex-baltimore-officers-convicted-in-police-corruption-scandal/ |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Ashwell |first=Alexa |date=2022-05-03 |title=HBO series on corrupt police gun task force focuses on ringleader Wayne Jenkins |url=https://foxbaltimore.com/news/local/hbo-series-on-corrupt-police-gun-task-force-focuses-on-ringleader-wayne-jenkins |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=WBFF |language=en}}</ref> He is currently serving a 25-year maximum sentence<ref>{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Jayne |date=2018-06-07 |title=Former ring leader, detective of Gun Trace Task Force sentenced |url=https://www.wbaltv.com/article/former-ring-leader-of-gun-trace-task-force-sentenced/21201748 |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=WBAL |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Watkins |first=D. |date=2018-06-11 |title=Wayne Jenkins, Baltimore's dirtiest cop, is sentenced: It still doesn't feel like justice |url=https://www.salon.com/2018/06/11/baltimores-dirtiest-cop-is-sentenced-it-still-doesnt-feel-like-justice-or-accountability/ |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=Salon |language=en}}</ref> in the [[Kentucky]] based federal penitentiary, [[Federal Medical Center, Lexington|FMC Lexington]], with a scheduled release in 2037.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=David |date=2022-04-26 |title='Absolutely staggering': the true story behind TV's buzziest new show |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/apr/25/we-own-this-city-david-simon-show-baltimore |access-date=2024-08-22 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Wayne Earl Jenkins Jr. was born and raised in [[Middle River, Maryland]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Fenton |first=Justin |title=Cops and Robbers, Part I: The Rise of Wayne Jenkins |url=https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/cops-and-robbers-part-i-rise-wayne-jenkins |work=Pulitzer Center}}</ref> He graduated from [[Eastern Technical High School]] and later served three years in the [[United States Marine Corps]], where he was noted for his discipline and leadership.<ref name=":2"/> Jenkins joined the Baltimore Police Department in 2003 at the age of 23, quickly gaining a reputation as an aggressive and effective officer.<ref name=":2" />
== Rise in the Baltimore Police Department == Jenkins' rise in the BPD was marked by his involvement in various plainclothes units that operated with considerable autonomy.<ref name=":2" /> Known for his relentless approach to policing, Jenkins was praised for his ability to recover guns and drugs, leading to numerous accolades and rapid promotions. By 2016, Jenkins had become the head of the GTTF, an elite unit tasked with removing illegal firearms from the streets of Baltimore.<ref name=":1" />
== Criminal activities == Despite his outward success, Jenkins led a double life, using his position to commit numerous crimes. Under his leadership, the GTTF engaged in activities such as robbing drug dealers, planting evidence, conducting illegal searches, and falsifying police reports.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> The unit also engaged in overtime fraud, significantly inflating their earnings.<ref name=":1" />
One of Jenkins' most notorious practices was the use of illegal [[GPS tracking unit]]s to monitor and target drug dealers, whom he referred to as "monsters".<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |title="I Got a Monster" Documentary: Policing the Police in Baltimore |url=https://people.com/i-got-a-monster-documentary-policing-the-police-in-baltimore-7561278 |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=People Magazine |language=en}}</ref> Jenkins would rob these dealers of cash and drugs, sometimes selling the stolen narcotics through a [[bail bondsman]] with whom he conspired.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-06-30 |title=Ex-bail bondsman who helped Gun Trace Task Force leader sell drugs is home from prison |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/baltimore-police-gun-trace-drugs/2021/06/30/cf2fe28a-d85f-11eb-bb9e-70fda8c37057_story.html |access-date=2024-08-22 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> This partnership involved regular drop-offs of drugs at the bondsman's waterfront home, contributing significantly to their illicit profits. <ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Fenton |first=Justin |title=Wayne Jenkins was on a mission to find big dealers to steal from. Then the feds found him. |url=https://news.baltimoresun.com/cops-and-robbers/part-three/ |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=The Baltimore Sun |language=en}}</ref>
In one detailed instance, after detaining a suspect near [[Pimlico Race Course]], Jenkins contacted his bail bondsman, indicating he had apprehended a "monster" — a term Jenkins used to describe high-value targets in the drug trade.<ref name=":3"/> Jenkins' modus operandi included toting around a duffel bag with a burglar's toolkit to facilitate breaking into homes or stash houses of these high-value targets, an approach that allowed him to steal large sums of money and drugs which were then sold on the streets.<ref name=":3" />
== Arrest and conviction == The GTTF's criminal activities were eventually uncovered through a federal investigation that began with wiretaps on a member of the unit.<ref name=":1" /> In March 2017, Jenkins and six other members of the GTTF were indicted on federal charges.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/seven-baltimore-city-police-officers-arrested-abusing-power-federal-racketeering|title=Seven Baltimore City Police Officers Arrested for Abusing Power in Federal Racketeering Conspiracy|date=March 1, 2017|access-date=October 12, 2024}}</ref> The investigation revealed that Jenkins had been involved in numerous criminal acts dating back to at least 2011.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> Jenkins was arrested and later pleaded guilty to a range of charges, including [[racketeering]] and civil rights violations.<ref name=":1" />
In June 2018, Jenkins was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison.<ref name=":1" /> His case highlighted significant flaws within the BPD, including a culture of permissiveness in plainclothes units that allowed such corruption to flourish.<ref name=":2" /> The depth of Jenkins' criminal activities, including his role in targeting and robbing high-level drug dealers under the guise of law enforcement, underscored the systemic issues within the department.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> Jenkins is [[Federal Bureau of Prisons]] prisoner #62928-037. He is serving his sentence at the [[Federal Medical Center, Lexington|FMC Lexington]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Inmate Locator |url=https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/ |access-date=2026-02-04 |website=www.bop.gov}}</ref>, a low-security federal prison in [[Kentucky]].
== Legacy and impact == The exposure of the GTTF's crimes profoundly impacted the Baltimore Police Department and the city's criminal justice system.<ref name=":0" /> Thousands of cases involving the officers were called into question, leading to the dismissal of numerous convictions.<ref name=":0" /> The scandal also prompted widespread calls for reform within the BPD, including increased oversight of plainclothes units and the creation of a Corruption Investigation Unit.<ref name=":0" />
The public and judicial fallout from the scandal, including the dramatic changes within the BPD and the judicial system, reflects the severe consequences of corruption that went unchecked for years. The comprehensive reform efforts undertaken by the city to restore trust in the police are part of the long-lasting impact of Jenkins' actions.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />
== In popular culture == Jenkins and the GTTF's story have been the subject of significant media coverage and dramatization. The HBO miniseries ''[[We Own This City]]'',<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bihn-Wallace |first=Rebecca |date=2022-05-12 |title=The Best Part of HBO's 'We Own This City' Isn't Jon Bernthal |url=https://collider.com/we-own-this-city-wunmi-mosaku-hbo/ |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=Collider |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Poniewozik |first=James |date=2022-04-24 |title='We Own This City' Review: Baltimore Police Problems, Rewired |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/24/arts/television/we-own-this-city-review.html |access-date=2024-08-22 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> based on the book by ''[[The Baltimore Sun]]'' reporter [[Justin Fenton]], focuses on the corruption within the GTTF, with Jenkins, played by actor [[Jon Bernthal]]<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Ford |first=Rebecca |date=2022-06-09 |title=Becoming Wayne Jenkins: Jon Bernthal's Deep Dive Into We Own This City's Corrupt Cop |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/06/awards-insider-jon-bernthal-interview-we-own-this-city-wayne-jenkins |access-date=2024-08-22 |magazine=Vanity Fair |language=en-US}}</ref> as the central figure.<ref name=":1" />
== References == {{reflist}}
{{Baltimore Police Department}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Jenkins, Wayne}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:1980 births]] [[Category:American police officers convicted of depriving others of their civil rights]] [[Category:American police officers convicted of obstruction of justice]] [[Category:American people convicted of robbery]] [[Category:American prisoners and detainees]] [[Category:Baltimore Police Department officers]] [[Category:Police officers convicted of corruption]] [[Category:Prisoners and detainees of the United States federal government]] [[Category:Police officers convicted of racketeering]] [[Category:Police officers convicted of planting evidence]] [[Category:United States Marines]]