BALTIMORE — A newly filed indictment accuses a Baltimore City Police officer of initiating phony traffic stops.
Officer Dequwan Houchins' alleged misconduct began in December of 2025, lasting approximately four months into 2026.
Internal Affairs detectives later launched an undercover investigation into Houchins.
While following his movements, investigators noted at least eight times in which Houchins radioed in a traffic stop, when in reality he was doing quite the opposite.
Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan Bates detailed one instance where Houchins claimed to be pulling over a car when in fact he was ordering a smoothie.
Prosecutors believe Houchins did this to avoid having to answer calls, leaving other officers to do his work.
He also failed to document these fake stops on body-worn camera footage, in violation of departmental policy.
If found guilty of all charges, Houchins faces a maximum 12 years behind bars and/or a $4,000 fine.
“Every Baltimore Police officer takes an oath to serve and protect our city, and with that oath comes a responsibility not only to the public, but to the fellow officers who rely on them every day," said Bates. "The allegations in this indictment reflect a troubling disregard for that responsibility. By allegedly entering false traffic stops into the CAD system to make himself unavailable for service calls and instead relaxing, sipping on a smoothie, or attending to other personal matters, this officer placed a burden on his brothers and sisters in uniform and potentially jeopardized their safety."
Charging documents can be reviewed below.
