BALTIMORE (WBFF) — The man at the center of Maryland’s $2.3 million Bethesda squatter saga once cited work with former Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby as part of his rehabilitation, an assertion now drawing renewed scrutiny as he faces fresh allegations in federal court.
Corey Pollard, identified by neighbors and court records as living inside the luxury home alongside squatter Tamieka Goode, was released from jail this week despite prosecutors accusing him of falsifying documents, manipulating associates and continuing a pattern of criminal conduct tied to luxury car theft.
The latest developments—new criminal allegations, a disputed lease presented in federal court and Pollard’s own claims of working with Mosby—mark a significant escalation in a case that has evolved from a neighborhood dispute into a multistate investigation.
Pollard’s name surfaced publicly after Spotlight on Maryland identified him as living inside the Bethesda home that Goode occupied without legal ownership while the property was tied up in foreclosure proceedings.
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Now, federal prosecutors say the situation extends far beyond a housing dispute.
During a detention hearing Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, prosecutors argued Pollard falsified a lease in 2026 to secure his release, submitting documents that conflicted with records from both a leasing company and his employer.
According to arguments presented in court, federal prosecutor Sarah Simpkin said:
Prosecutors also pointed to jail calls in which Pollard allegedly directed a colleague at a nonprofit on what language to include in an employment verification letter submitted to federal authorities.
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Simpkin described a pattern of “serial crimes of dishonesty,” accusing Pollard of being a “puppeteer” manipulating others to get what he wants at any moment.
Despite those concerns, U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin ordered Pollard’s release.
Don’t make me regret this,” Rubin told him in court.
Rubin was appointed to the federal bench by former President Joe Biden in April 2022. She previously served as a Baltimore City Circuit Court judge after being appointed by then-Gov. Martin O’Malley, a Democrat.
The case reached Rubin on Wednesday due to an appeal filed by the federal government, after Judge Charles D. Austin promptly ordered Pollard’s release, despite the alleged probation violations. Austin was appointed as U.S. Magistrate Judge in October 2023 by fellow judges of the U.S. District Court of Maryland.
The federal case comes as Pollard also faces new charges out of Pennsylvania.
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Authorities allege that in June 2024, Pollard again targeted a car dealership—stealing multiple luxury vehicles in a case that mirrors his prior federal conviction tied to a 2019–2020 theft ring.
That earlier case, detailed in federal records, involved smashing dealership windows with a sledgehammer and stealing high-end vehicles.
Pollard had argued at sentencing that he was turning his life around.
Pollard was part of the inaugural 2019 class of Georgetown University’s Pivot Program, a nationally recognized reentry initiative designed to reduce recidivism by connecting formerly incarcerated individuals with jobs and mentorship.
Despite still being championed by the Pivot Program as a success story, court records show Pollard, within months of completing the program, was once again involved in serious crimes.
Before entering the Pivot Program, Pollard’s criminal record shows convictions for robbery, vehicle theft, and drug offenses, with arrests in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, and Delaware.
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Less than six months after graduating from the Pivot Program, federal charging documents obtained by Spotlight on Maryland show that between late 2019 and early 2020, he used a sledgehammer to smash a dealership window and steal multiple luxury vehicles. He was later convicted in connection with those incidents.
Corey Pollard federal sentencing memorandum, featuring Marilyn Mosby, from January 2024. (U.S. Courts)
During sentencing, Pollard argued that he had made strides toward rehabilitation, according to federal court records.
He cited community involvement, including bringing Mosby to the Cherry Hill public housing community after “two bodies were found inside an abandoned home.” Pollard continued that he worked with Mosby’s office to encourage “assistance to stop the violence.”
Amid his luxury vehicle theft activity, Maryland business filings reviewed by Spotlight on Maryland show Pollard and Goode launched a company together in 2020. Around the same time, Pollard secured work with a Washington, D.C.-based architecture firm, Torti Gallas and Partners, a connection he made through the Pivot Program.
Pollard also appears online as a “community development coordinator” for an organization called WFL Collective, which describes itself as a racial justice and social equity nonprofit. The group claims partnerships with established entities, including Civic Works and the Baltimore Housing Authority.
However, a search of the Internal Revenue Service’s nonprofit database shows no record of the WFL Collective as a registered charity.
Requests for comment from Mosby, the Pivot Program, and WFL Collective were not returned.
Thomas Gallas, the founding principal of{ }Torti Gallas & Partners, outside the U.S. District Court of Maryland in Baltimore on Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (Zackary Lang/Spotlight on Maryland)
Outside the courthouse on Wednesday, Spotlight on Maryland attempted to obtain answers from Gallas about Pollard. When asked about his support for Pollard and allegations surrounding the falsification of a lease to secure his pretrial release, Gallas declined to comment.
“No, thank you,” Gallas said. “Please stop.”
Have you experienced or had direct knowledge of squatting or unauthorized occupancy occurring in Maryland? Do you have any tips related to this story? Send news tips to gmcollins@sbgtv.com or contact Spotlight on Maryland’s hotline at (410) 467-4670.
Follow Gary Collins on X and Instagram. Spotlight on Maryland is a collaboration between FOX45 News, WJLA in Washington, D.C., and The Baltimore Sun.
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