ANNAPOLIS, MD — Annapolis Police Department Public Information Officer Miguel Dennis was charged with harassment, said court documents obtained by Patch on Friday. The criminal citation came after a businessman’s claim that Dennis shared a police report which ultimately cost the company $250,000.
Charging documents accuse Dennis of printing on June 1, 2023, and later distributing a non-redacted police report filed by the businessman, who thought someone might be following him. The businessman named in the report, said Dennis distributed it to someone, who then circulated it to clients in the Annapolis community.
Businessman John White said somebody using an untraceable email later sent the police report to his marketing company’s clients, two of which “abruptly terminated” $250,000 worth of contracts with his firm.
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White, chairman and CEO of Annapolis-based Compass Marketing, alleged the police report was sent to his clients via a Proton email address early this year. Proton is a Swiss server offering encrypted and difficult-to-track emails.
White said the leaked report cost him a $200,000 deal with Campbell Soup, a client of 20 years. He said Compass also lost out on a $50,000 campaign with Citrus Circus, a Good Boy Vodka canned cocktail sponsored by action sports star and Annapolis native Travis Pastrana.
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“All of my clients have received these alarming Proton emails,” White told Patch in a Friday statement. “The damage to my reputation is ongoing every day the chief covers up these crimes, and is incalculable.”
Patch requested a comment from Dennis, but he directed us to Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley’s office.
“This is a pending legal matter. We have no comment on the specifics at this time,” mayoral spokesperson Mitchelle Stephenson told Patch in a Thursday email.
The City of Annapolis denied Patch’s Aug. 7 Public Information Act request for Dennis’ disciplinary records.
“Mr. Dennis is a civilian employee. As such, his personnel records are protected under the Maryland Public Information Act,” Stephenson said.
Annapolis Police Chief Edward Jackson said he is “not at liberty to discuss the specifics of an ongoing legal matter.”
“I do not believe the actions of Mr. Dennis rise to the level of criminal behavior,” Jackson told Patch in a Thursday statement. “Internally, this incident has been investigated, where it was determined that — in an effort to provide expedited service — he made an error. We regret the error and have apologized to Mr. White. Mr. Dennis has undergone the appropriate re-training in the handling of APD records to ensure the same mistake does not occur again.”
Dennis is still the police department’s public information officer.
“Mr. Dennis is acting in this capacity while APD conducts a nationwide search for a new PIO,” Stephenson said.
The next spokesperson will make $70,000 to $75,000, a job listing said. Applications opened on Aug. 14, before Dennis was formally charged, and closed on Wednesday.
White filed for the harassment charges on Aug. 17. A criminal summons was issued on Aug. 25, and a sheriff’s deputy served the summons to Dennis on Aug. 29. The state received notification Wednesday that Dennis was served. The court’s online database updated with that information Thursday, unlocking the charging documents that Patch obtained Friday.
Dennis faces prison time of up to 90 days and/or a maximum fine of $500 if convicted of this misdemeanor charge.
The trial is scheduled for Oct. 22 at 8:30 a.m. in the Glen Burnie location of the Anne Arundel County District Court. The case file does not yet list a lawyer for Dennis. The prosecutor’s name isn’t shown yet either.
The Annapolis Police Department has faced several other controversies in recent months.
The agency lost its accreditation early this year from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, known as the “gold standard in public safety.” The Capital reported in August that Ronda McCoy, the department’s director of fiscal services and professional standards, submitted her resignation letter. The police union instilled a vote of no confidence against Jackson and his command staff days later, disputing the suspension of two officers.
The Baltimore Banner and The Capital later reported the officers who were suspended broke the chain of command and went straight to the mayor, reporting that a deputy chief was improperly using his department vehicle while working from home. The deputy chief is working remotely because his daughter is awaiting a heart transplant, The Banner said, noting that the chief suspended the officers for unauthorized use of department technology.
The police turmoil hits home for White.
“I have felt shocked, abused, violated, and ultimately very sad,” White said. “Finding out that the Command staff of my local Annapolis Police Department is involved in an international cyberstalking conspiracy against me makes me shake my head ruefully.”
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