Former Morgan State employee charged with fraud

BALTIMORE, Md. - Former Morgan State University employee Bernard Jermaine Healthington, 35, of Baltimore, was arrested after being indicted by a Baltimore City Circuit Court on four counts of felony theft and two counts of providing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) services without a license.

The charges, announced by Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler, allege that from 2007 until 2010, while employed at Morgan State, Healthington stole over $200,000 in state funds. The indictment also alleges that Healthington stole from three customers by never providing the services for which he was paid.  Healthington, the document adds, lacked the requisite state license while performing HVAC services.

Felony theft over $100,000, which is one of the counts against Healthington, is punishable by a maximum sentence of 25 years' incarceration and a $25,000 fine. Another count of felony theft is punishable by a maximum sentence of 15 years' incarceration and a $15,000 fine. The remaining two counts of felony theft are punishable by 10 years' incarceration and a $10,000 fine apiece. Performing HVAC services without a license is punishable by six months' incarceration and a $1,000 fine.

The investigation was jointly conducted by the Office of the Attorney General's Criminal Division and the Maryland State Police. An arraignment date is pending. A criminal charge is merely an accusation of wrongdoing and the defendant is presumed innocent unless the State proves his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.