Former Baltimore Police Detective Daniel Hersl was sentenced to 18 years in prison for his role in the litany of crimes perpetrated by the Gun Trace Task Force, a rogue unit of plain clothes police officers.
Hersl is the sixth member of the GTTF to be sentenced. In February he was found guilty by a federal jury on counts of racketeering and robbery. Hersl was one of two officers from the eight-member team who went to trial. The other, Detective Marcus Taylor, was also found guilty at trial. He was also sentenced to 18 years in prison at a hearing on June 7.
Hersl's hearing began with a motion for a new trial, which judge Catherine Blake denied.
Federal prosecutors asked the judge for a sentence of 20 years but Judge Blake settled on 18 in part to send a clear message.
"I believe that Judge Blake had her basis of giving this particular sentence and she articulated on the record," said Hersl's attorney William Purpura, "Am I happy with the sentence, the answer is no but I understand the reason for the sentence."
Daniel Hersl was represented by his brothers and sisters in court, some of whom testified to his character calling him a good man and a great father to his 10-year-old son.
Purpura says Hersl does intend to appeal.
