By: Alyssa Wilson

WARNING: This story contains details of police violence. 

A Baltimore police officer was indicted in a case involving a teenager who was allegedly assaulted and threatened with death by choking. Another officer was indicted for attempting to downplay the severity of said incident.  

RELATED: Maryland Police Reform Would Repeal Officer Job Protections 

According to the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, Maxwell Dundore and Sergeant Brendan O’Leary were indicted. Dundore faces charges of second-degree assault and misconduct in office. O’Leary, Dundore’s supervisor, was indicted on charges of false statement and misconduct in office.  

Dundore was investigating a report of a stolen vehicle when he came in contact with the teen. According to the indictment, the teen was seen stepping out of the stolen vehicle. The indictment said when the teenager attempted to run, Dundore “grabbed him around the waist, lifted him off the ground, and slammed him face-down on the concrete” before wrapping his legs around the teen and placing his left arm around his neck.  

During the arrest, Dundore allegedly told the teenager, “I will choke you. I will kill you.” State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby said the indictments demonstrate her office’s commitment to ensuring “one standard of justice for all.”  

RELATED: Marilyn Mosby Defends Decision to Not Prosecute Minor Offenses in Baltimore  

O’Leary arrived on the scene to review the body camera footage and document the use of force. The indictment found the footage did not support the “statements, observations and conclusions” made in his report and included discrepancies.  

The Baltimore Police Department has been under scrutiny since 2017 when a federal consent decree was implemented, CNN reported. The decree came after the U.S. Justice Department investigated the 2015 death of Freddie Gray, a Black man who died in police custody.  

Baltimore’s mayor Brandon Scott was displeased by the allegations. “I am disgusted by these allegations and remain committed to improving this culture and lack of humanity. I will continue to advocate before the Maryland General Assembly for the necessary local authority to immediately terminate officers for clearly egregious conduct in the interest of public safety.”  

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If convicted, Dundore faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for the second-degree assault charge. O’Leary could face six months in prison for the false statement charge, according to CNN.  

If you or someone you know is struggling from trauma triggered by this story, resources are available here.