Dan Belson
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danbelson.bsky.social
Dan Belson
@danbelson.bsky.social
reporter at The Baltimore Sun covering the everything beat. Guild strong.
tell me secrets at dbelson@baltsun.com, DM for Signal digits
The State Department is weighing whether or not it’ll surrender a Baltimore man to German authorities, who say the Park Heights resident killed a colleague while working a demolition job at an overseas U.S. air base.

www.baltimoresun.com/2025/10/29/b...
Baltimore man tied to killing of construction foreman in Germany
A Baltimore man can be extradited to Germany to face charges of killing a construction site’s foreman while working at a military base, a federal judge ruled.
www.baltimoresun.com
October 29, 2025 at 11:12 PM
“Battle-ready”: A Trump supporter who pepper sprayed a Butch Gardens attendee near Peabody Heights, roughly a month after choking a man who stole his Trump/Vance sign, was found guilty of assault and weapons charges for both attacks.

www.baltimoresun.com/2025/09/26/t...
Trump supporter gets 15 years for mace attack at Baltimore LGBTQ+ event, man’s beating
A Baltimore man was sentenced to 15 years of prison on Friday after a judge found him guilty of assault in two attacks this summer after he was confronted over his “Trump-Vance” sign.
www.baltimoresun.com
September 27, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Lawyers for 17 Catholic Church associates whose names are redacted in the Baltimore Archdiocese sex abuse report argued today that the AG’s investigation itself was illegal.

How the MD Supreme Court rules could imperil ongoing probes of the Wash/Wilm dioceses.

www.baltimoresun.com/2025/09/05/g...
Clergy fight disclosure of names in Maryland Archdiocese abuse report
Lawyers questioned the Maryland Attorney General’s office’s authority to conduct its four-year probe of sexual abuse in the Baltimore Archdiocese while fighting in the state’s hig…
www.baltimoresun.com
September 5, 2025 at 11:36 PM
An officer was flagged down at a Penn-North bus stop for a “man down.” 1 min later, another.

Within 10 minutes, he radioed that there were five people “completely unresponsive.”

Inside how first responders discovered today’s suspected mass overdose:

www.baltimoresun.com/2025/07/10/b...
‘Bad batch’: Frantic response to Baltimore overdoses heard in recorded audio
It started with an “unknown problem” in a West Baltimore alley. Then, there was a “man down” at a nearby bus stop. Officer and medics quickly realized the suspected overdose…
www.baltimoresun.com
July 11, 2025 at 1:56 AM
National news orgs jumped on an ICE post claiming that Maryland released a man charged with first-degree murder, reciting the claim verbatim.

Problem: he’s never been charged with killing anybody, has zero convictions and hasn’t been arrested in over a decade

www.baltimoresun.com/2025/07/08/i...
ICE chides Maryland police about man’s release. Attorney says agency is ‘spinning a narrative.’
The man, who entered the country illegally, had no convictions on record in Maryland or Indiana, where he was eventually detained by ICE.
www.baltimoresun.com
July 9, 2025 at 11:40 PM
As his real estate empire crumbles, it’s unclear where Baltimore developer Brandon Chasen has been.

He didn’t show up to a recent meeting with creditors he owes $29M+, and hasn’t filed paperwork, in a bankruptcy case for his construction firm. His phone line is disconnected.

bit.ly/4ehdXnZ
Firms file to push Baltimore developer Brandon Chasen into bankruptcy
A bank and two contracting firms formally petitioned Monday to force Baltimore developer Brandon Chasen into bankruptcy as the once-fruitful apartment magnate’s real estate empire continues t…
bit.ly
June 18, 2025 at 4:15 AM
Parking agents in Baltimore are issuing citations for expired tags more aggressively after the law dept. rescinded guidance that held them back last spring.

🚘 Hondas, Toyotas and Nissans got cited the most since mid-March

🚙🚕 Over 10% of cars cited had VA tags

www.baltimoresun.com/2025/05/13/p...
As Baltimore ramps up parking enforcement, citations for one offense are skyrocketing
Baltimore is issuing thousands more parking citations than it has in previous years. Data shows agents are writing the most tickets for one particular violation — parking with expired tags.
www.baltimoresun.com
May 13, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Federal rail officials conferred w/ the Musk-owned Boring Co. about a potential cost-cutting contract in Amtrak’s biggest infrastructure project: the Frederick Douglass Tunnel in West Baltimore.

Story: www.baltimoresun.com/2025/05/13/f...
Trump administration turns to Elon Musk’s Boring Co. for advice on Baltimore tunnel project
The Trump administration is getting advice from Elon Musk’s Boring Company regarding the Frederick Douglass Tunnel project in Baltimore.
www.baltimoresun.com
May 13, 2025 at 10:18 PM
The Trump admin hasn’t been budging much on order to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the U.S.

If that keeps up, Sen. Van Hollen (D-Md.) says he'll go to El Salvador himself this week.

www.baltimoresun.com/2025/04/14/k...
Senator vows to go to El Salvador if Trump administration doesn’t return Maryland man
U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen said Monday morning that he would go to El Salvador himself later this week if the Trump administration continues to stall on a judge’s directive to return a mistak…
www.baltimoresun.com
April 14, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Last year’s news
March 23, 2025 at 8:36 PM
The man accused in a sweeping lawsuit of sexually abusing 60+ boys in his former job at DJS comes from a prominent Baltimore family and worked for city schools as recently as 2020.

It also seems that the civil claims have prompted a criminal probe as well.

www.baltimoresun.com/2025/03/06/f...
Former Baltimore City substitute teacher at center of latest DJS sex abuse allegations
The man accused in a recent civil lawsuit of sexually abusing dozens of youth at one of Maryland’s juvenile detention facilities also worked as a substitute teacher in Baltimore as recently a…
www.baltimoresun.com
March 6, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Reposted by Dan Belson
'An open secret:' New suit charges 69 men were sexually abused as children by employee at Hickey School detention center - and Maryland Department of Juvenile Services knew and failed to protect them www.baltimoresun.com/2025/03/04/m... by @danbelson.bsky.social
More than 60 men accuse former DJS employee of sex abuse at Baltimore County youth detention center
A lawsuit filed Tuesday against the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services alleges that a former employee sexually abused scores of children at a facility in Baltimore County over three decades. …
www.baltimoresun.com
March 4, 2025 at 10:35 PM
UPDATE: Judge Richard D. Bennett accepted federal prosecutors' dismissal notice and closed the case today.
The Trump administration dropped the DOJ's hiring discrimination case against Maryland State Police less than 2 wks before a federal judge was scheduled to consider whether to issue a final approval on a consent decree that MD agreed to.

www.baltimoresun.com/2025/03/03/m...
Trump administration drops discrimination case against Maryland State Police
New leadership at the Department of Justice dropped a case last week that accused Maryland State Police of violating federal employment discrimination laws through hiring practices.
www.baltimoresun.com
March 3, 2025 at 6:05 PM
The Trump administration dropped the DOJ's hiring discrimination case against Maryland State Police less than 2 wks before a federal judge was scheduled to consider whether to issue a final approval on a consent decree that MD agreed to.

www.baltimoresun.com/2025/03/03/m...
Trump administration drops discrimination case against Maryland State Police
New leadership at the Department of Justice dropped a case last week that accused Maryland State Police of violating federal employment discrimination laws through hiring practices.
www.baltimoresun.com
March 3, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Hae Min Lee’s family asked for a delay in a final decision at Adnan Syed’s JRA sentence reduction hrg on Wednesday

Otherwise, it should be rejected, Young Lee’s attorneys wrote www.baltimoresun.com/2025/02/21/a...
Adnan Syed case: Hae Min Lee’s family asks judge to reject ‘Serial’ subject’s bid to have sentence reduced
Lawyers representing Hae Min Lee’s family asked a Baltimore judge to delay making a decision on reducing Adnan Syed’s sentence next week, or to reject the “Serial” podcast s…
www.baltimoresun.com
February 22, 2025 at 5:55 AM
I got my hands on Maryland OSHA inspectors’ probe of the Francis Scott Key bridge collapse — Brawner Builders got a $2,100 citation for a fall protection violation, and MDTA was told to improve comms at work zones.

read more: www.baltimoresun.com/2025/02/08/m...
Maryland probe of Key Bridge collapse leads to safety violation for construction firm
Labor regulators cited the construction company that lost six workers in the Key Bridge collapse after investigators found they violated an occupational safety standard for protecting workers from …
www.baltimoresun.com
February 8, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Reposted by Dan Belson
When the Baltimore Sun opened its new office last year, ownership saw fit to decorate it with “motivational quotes”. Motivational to someone looking to undermine journalism and our union, that is.
February 7, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Reposted by Dan Belson
Baltimore Sun Guild workers need a fair contract and are not afraid to say it directly to our owner✊🏻☀️
December 21, 2024 at 12:38 AM
Reposted by Dan Belson
July 20, 2024 at 11:28 PM
Reposted by Dan Belson
Summer Apparel That Will Delight the Critical Woman

Baltimore Sun
June 22 1919
June 22, 2024 at 9:48 PM
Bandhunta Izzy told me about his older brother, Bandhunta Jugg, who died Saturday.

Jugg was loyal. He spoke his mind. He was a loving father.

Judah’s brother lovingly made a point that the 28-year-old Baltimore rapper was… well, weird. 🧵

www.baltimoresun.com/2023/12/27/b...
As Baltimore rap community mourns Bandhunta Jugg, brother Bandhunta Izzy recalls his growth, loyalty
Bandhunta Izzy said his older brother, slain fellow Baltimore rapper Bandhunta Jugg, was a dedicated wordsmith and sibling. The 28-year-old father of two was killed Saturday in a shooting that woun…
www.baltimoresun.com
December 28, 2023 at 8:26 PM