Two former Baltimore City prosecutors filed a lawsuit on behalf of one former and one current Baltimore police officer on Monday claiming widespread corruption and misconduct within the city police agency’s internal affairs unit.

Attorneys Patrick Jennings and Michael Turiello worked together for nearly a decade at the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, where they were assigned to the Major Investigations and Narcotics units. Now in private practice, they allege that Deputy Police Commissioner Brian Nadeau improperly took control of his misconduct investigation and is engaged in a series of improper pressure campaigns to intimidate Baltimore Police Department officers.

The 24-page lawsuit filed against Deputy Commissioner Nadeau, former Commissioner Michael Harrison and current Public Integrity Bureau chief Olufemi Akanni, along with several others, alleges senior BPD command staff “weaponized the investigative and disciplinary powers” against officers Jeffrey and Raquel Lilly.

The complaint alleges that the Baltimore Police Department’s internal affairs attempted to harm the Lillys because they sought to reclaim ownership of French Bulldog puppies that were part of a family business. The attorneys told Spotlight on Maryland the Lillys had signed a breeding contract with extended family members.

Family member James Blue, the signer of the contract, was married to Capt. Lekeshia Blue, who was assigned to BPD’s Public Integrity Bureau (PIB). After James Blue was murdered inside his car in January 2022, the Lillys attempted to retrieve a puppy litter valued at over $50,000 from Capt. Blue.

The lawsuit alleges Deputy Commissioner Nadeau became involved in the Lillys’ private dispute with Capt. Blue after the murder.

Spotlight on Maryland could not immediately reach Lekeshia Blue for comment.

“On February 8, 2022, Jeffrey Lilly met with Deputy Commissioner Nadeau and Director Akanni at BPD Headquarters,” the lawsuit states. “During the meeting, Deputy Commission Nadeau made statements to intimidate Mr. Lilly into abandoning the pursuit of his property and ending his efforts to enforce his contract.”

According to the complaint, Jeffrey Lilly became aware of an alleged impending investigation that was likely to be launched by the FBI, specifically from the local field office, where he was cross-assigned as a detective on wiretapping cases. The purported investigation was into the validity of the puppy contract.

Lilly’s attorneys told Spotlight on Maryland that a complaint was subsequently filed against the internal affairs leadership, putting Deputy Commissioner Nadeau in the line of an internal investigation.

“Deputy Commissioner Nadeau became a subject of this investigation not because of the Lillys but from his own detective,” Turiello said. “[The detective] said after viewing evidence of a counter-complaint against Jeffrey Lilly, it became clear to him that Nadeau’s meeting with Lilly on February 8th was improper and he himself needed to be investigated for neglect of duty.”

Jeffrey Lilly ultimately faced felony charges in Baltimore County shortly after his initial meeting with the deputy commissioner. Those charges were eventually dropped, but they formed the basis for a separate investigation into Lilly.

Jennings alleged that the deputy commissioner deliberately used up time to prevent a thorough investigation of the complaint against internal affairs and his leadership.

“Brian Nadeau, specifically, at the top of the Public Integrity Bureau, instructed officers on how to handle the investigation,” Jennings said. “He was on email correspondence where officers repeatedly said this isn’t right, we’re not comfortable doing this, this isn’t the way this case should be investigated, and he continued to ramp up the pressure.”

Spotlight on Maryland asked BPD if the deputy commissioner had ever been the subject of a misconduct investigation within the agency. A spokesperson replied “no” but did not provide additional details or respond to a request for an interview regarding the lawsuit.

Deputy Commissioner Nadeau also did not respond to questions about this incident or agree to an interview regarding the allegations against him.

This lawsuit comes after BPD recently settled a separate civil case involving an assault by an officer against a fellow off-duty female officer outside Norma Jean’s strip club in August 2018. The complaint claimed that an internal affairs lieutenant tried to file baseless criminal charges and conducted a pressure campaign against the assaulted officer who submitted a complaint against her colleague.

Joshua Harris, chair of the Baltimore City Police Accountability Board, told Spotlight on Maryland that, although he cannot comment on the specifics of the lawsuit, he “would not be surprised if there is significant legitimacy.”

“I have learned that complaints from the public are oftentimes a reflection of internal corruption and culture change needed,” Harris said.

The Baltimore City Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) also acknowledged its awareness of the Lillys lawsuit.

Jennings and Turiello told Spotlight on Maryland that BPD needs immediate leadership changes and a further investigation into internal affairs and the deputy commissioner’s alleged conduct.

“[I]f this can happen to them, if this can happen during a consent decree, while the Department of Justice, a DOJ monitor and his team is charging the city millions and millions of dollars for his work, and all of the resources poured into this consent decree process,” Jennings said. “[I]f that so easily can be disregarded by the people that first and foremost are tasked with following that, then it can happen anywhere.”

“Until everyone knows what’s happening at BPD, I don’t think anything meaningful will change,” Jennings added.

Have a news tip? Contact reporter Gary Collins at gmcollins@sbgtv.com.