Former Law Enforcement Officers Convicted in Connection With Arson and Bank, Wire, And Mail Fraud Conspiracy

Greenbelt, Maryland - A federal jury found Philip James Dupree, 41, of Pikesville, Maryland, and Mark Ross Johnson, Jr., 38, of Camp Springs, Maryland, each guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, arson, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and bank fraud. Dupree, a former Fairmount Heights Police Department officer, and Johnson, a former Prince George's County Police Department (PGPD) officer, conspired with others to carry out the scheme.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty verdicts with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) - Baltimore Field Office, and Chief George Nader, PGPD.

According to the nine-count indictment, which included charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, arson, and bank fraud, the co-conspirators joined forces to commit two separate fraud schemes. The schemes involved filing false police reports and falsifying loss claims to obtain and attempt to obtain funds from an insurance company and three different financial institutions.

As part of the insurance fraud scheme in November 2018, Dupree and Johnson coordinated to burn Johnson's Ford F450 truck that was experiencing mechanical and electrical problems. Dupree "discovered" the burning vehicle while on duty in Fairmount Heights and filed an impound report containing false statements regarding the recovery of the truck.

Johnson then used the report number in support of his claim filed with the insurance company for a total loss on the truck. He also submitted altered telephone records to his insurer to hide that he had a 16-minute conversation with Dupree just before Dupree "discovered" the truck. A fire investigator, hired by the insurer, testified that the Ford F450 fire was intentionally set, and originated in the passenger compartment of the truck. The insurer, relying in part on the police report and altered telephone records, paid out more than $68,000 to the lien holder on the truck.

Then from May 2019 until June 2019, Dupree, Johnson, and others conspired to defraud three financial institutions. They coordinated the withdrawal of money from their financial accounts through ATMs so they could fraudulently claim their money was stolen. Then the co-conspirators sought reimbursement from their financial institutions.

In executing the scheme, Dupree and Johnson coordinated submitting police reports to PGPD. Through these reports, they falsely claimed their debit cards were stolen and then were used to withdraw funds from various ATMs without permission. One police report, submitted by Dupree to support his claim of a stolen debit card, was a complete fake. The report was never submitted to the Prince George's County Record Management System. Additionally, the report included the name of a non-existent police officer as the preparer. It also carried over Johnson's name as the "victim" from the separate report Johnson asked a co-conspirator to generate to submit to his credit union. The co-conspirators submitted fraudulent claims to the victim financial institutions seeking reimbursement for the purportedly unauthorized ATM withdrawals.

Both Dupree and Johnson are facing up to 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. Additionally, they face at least five years, but up to 20 years, for arson affecting interstate commerce, and up to 30 years for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud. Judge Lydia Griggsby scheduled Dupree's sentencing for Thursday, February 19, 2026, at 10 a.m. Johnson's sentencing is scheduled for Monday, February 23, at 1:30 p.m.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and PGPD for their work in the investigation and praised the Fairmount Heights Police Department for its assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Baldwin and LaShanta Harris who are prosecuting the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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