BALTIMORE (WBFF) — A Baltimore man already serving life without parole for the deadly shooting of a Baltimore police detective has been sentenced to an additional 10 years after prosecutors said he tried to fraudulently secure his release from prison by submitting fake evidence.
State’s Attorney Ivan Bates announced Monday that Brandon Grimes was convicted following a three-day jury trial on charges including evidence tampering, identity fraud and related offenses.
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Prosecutors said Grimes attempted to obtain an exoneration, secure his release from prison and collect nearly $1.5 million from the State of Maryland.
He was already serving a sentence of life without parole plus 18 years for the 2008 conviction in the fatal shooting of Baltimore City Police Detective Troy Lamont Chesley Sr., who was killed in the 4500 block of Fairfax Road on Jan. 9, 2007.
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Deputy Chief Michael Leedy and Assistant State’s Attorney Keri Borzilleri of the State’s Attorney’s Conviction Integrity Unit prosecuted the case.
The attempts made by the Defendant to falsely exonerate himself and receive financial benefits not only put the accreditation of our world-class crime lab at risk, but also undermine every real petition of actual innocence that comes forward from wrongfully convicted individuals,” said Bates, via press release. “Thanks to the diligent work of our Conviction Integrity Unit, this attempted deception was caught before a dangerous offender with a lengthy criminal record could be potentially released from incarceration and steal taxpayer dollars.
According to prosecutors, Grimes began devising the scheme in February 2018.
They allege he created fraudulent ballistics documents and submitted them to the Baltimore City Circuit Court in an effort to overturn his conviction and seek approximately $1,462,896 from the state through the Office of Administrative Hearings.
In March 2024, Grimes filed a petition for a Writ of Actual Innocence, claiming prosecutors had uncovered previously undisclosed ballistic evidence that showed he had also been shot by the same weapon used to kill Detective Chesley.
The petition included what Grimes identified as a Bullet Report, which he claimed proved that both he and Detective Chesley were victims of the shooting that occurred in January 2007.
However, the State’s Attorney’s Office Conviction Integrity Unit determined the report was fraudulent and referred the matter to Baltimore Police homicide detectives for further investigation.
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Investigators said the document contained multiple inconsistencies, including forged names and signatures of firearms examiners who neither prepared nor signed the report.
They also found the property numbers did not match official records and that the report’s format differed from authentic Baltimore Police ballistics reports.
The investigation also uncovered recorded prison phone calls in which prosecutors said Grimes discussed the scheme with others, including plans to fabricate documents, secure his release and obtain money from the state.
According to the State’s Attorney’s Office, Grimes has filed numerous post-conviction motions seeking his release since his 2008 conviction.
Prosecutors said each has been denied by the courts.
You can read the charging documents related to this case above.
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