The recording quickly spread across social media and Eric Eiswert said his life forever changed Eiswert was working as the principal of Pikesville High School on Jan. 17, 2024, when a clip that purported to contain audio of him making racist and antisemitic remarks behind closed doors started to circulate all over the internet, including on the Instagram account @murder_ink_bmore which chronicles crime and boasts 261,000 followers he was a respected educator who had served students and their families in Baltimore County for 27 years people viewed him as a “racist and antisemite who said vile things about students and teachers.” Though people later learned the recording was fake he knew “my life would never be the same.” The Baltimore Banner thanks its sponsors. Become one. “I am slowly rebuilding my professional career and I’m beginning to heal,” Eiswert said on Monday in the Baltimore County Courts Building “But this experience will never leave me.” The man who used artificial intelligence to create the recording, Dazhon Darien entered an Alford plea in Baltimore County Circuit Court to one count of disturbing school operations That means he acknowledged that prosecutors could prove the case against him but did not admit guilt Circuit Judge Jan Marshall Alexander then sentenced Darien the former athletic director of Pikesville High School who split his time between Baltimore and Houston to serve four months in the Baltimore County Detention Center Darien not only harmed the principal and school community but harmed the legacy of those who’ve actually experienced racism and discrimination “But we can’t just throw it out there every time we feel like it — it’s got to be deserved.” Alexander said a “good section of the community” will always look at Eiswert in a different light “whether it’s deserved or not.” “It is clear that he did not make that recording,” Alexander said “He will always have to take that with him.” Pikesville High AI suspect faces additional child sexual exploitation charges Suspect in Pikesville High AI case arrested on child porn charges Ex-athletic director accused of framing principal with AI arrested at airport with gun Assistant State’s Attorney Brigid McCarthy read a statement of facts into the record to support the conviction: Baltimore County Police launched an investigation into the recording and interviewed Eiswert the same day it started circulating on the internet Eiswert told detectives he never made those comments and believed AI was used to create the clip He said he thought that Darien was responsible That’s because Eiswert reported that he had conversations with Darien about not renewing his contract due to poor performance inability to follow procedures and unwillingness to adhere to the chain of command Police tied Darien to a Gmail account that was used to send out the recording to two teachers with the subject line “Pikesville Principal — Disturbing Recording.” The clip appeared on social media about 30 minutes later an associate professor at the University of Colorado Denver and director of the National Center for Media Forensics performed an “extensive analysis” and concluded that the audio contained traces of AI-generated content Grigoras also determined that someone then edited the clip and added background noises to make it seem more realistic Law enforcement executed a search-and-seizure warrant for Darien’s cellphone but were not able to crack the device for nine months Detectives later discovered that he had searched for “AI Voice Cloning” and used a website to make the recording purchased a subscription and uploaded audio of a private conversation he had in 2023 with Eiswert in his office to generate the clip Investigators uncovered evidence that Darien had uploaded audio files to his Gmail account Baltimore County Public Schools immediately removed Eiswert as principal of Pikesville High School and community members inundated the front desk with phone calls expressing concern and anger Staff members reported that they felt unsafe Teachers also feared that Darien could have planted recording devices in other parts of the building including one that stated the “world would be a better place if you were on the other side of dirt.” He’s now principal of Sparrows Point Middle School in Edgemere Deputy State’s Attorney John Cox called Darien’s actions reprehensible and added that they had an enormous effect on the principal and school community was still not accepting full responsibility,” Cox said “even though the evidence was clear what he did.” thanked police and prosecutors for “taking the matter seriously.” Darien has been held accountable by the criminal justice system,” Cathell told reporters “We’re also confident that the civil justice system will hold Mr the school system and other individuals involved accountable.” Gboyinde Onijala, a spokesperson for Baltimore County Public Schools, declined to comment on the case, citing pending litigation. Eiswert is currently suing the school system asked the judge to consider her client’s lack of prior criminal record along with the nonviolent nature of the crime which she described as a “new type of situation.” could not have anticipated that his actions would lead to charges or other consequences “I think this has been a lesson for every party involved here.” Darien experienced difficulty navigating his position as athletic director Hope detailed hardships and trauma that her client experienced during his childhood has a bachelor’s degree in history and master’s degree in educational leadership and was pursuing his doctorate But a Baltimore Banner investigation found that Darien made at least 29 false claims on four job applications His resume included a bachelor’s degree in history education and master’s degree in educational leadership from Langston University But Darien never graduated from the institution Darien was originally supposed to stand trial on Jan. 28, but FBI special agents arrested him one day before on new charges after he showed up to court for a motions hearing He’s now charged in U.S District Court in Baltimore with sexual exploitation of children receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography Bredar has set a status-and-scheduling conference for May 28 to discuss the next steps in the case When he was given the opportunity to address the court Darien said he was taking responsibility “for my part.” Darien apologized and stated that he loves the students teachers and Pikesville High School community “It was never my intention to cause or create or spread any harm to anyone,” he said “I just did what I thought was right based on the knowledge that I had I made a decision and I have to live with the consequences of that decision.” He said it’s never right to take his anger and frustration out on others “regardless of the lack of leadership.” He added that he had the opportunity to leave the school Darien told the judge he’s done a lot of good He said he’s spent most of his life giving back to others — “more than I’ve ever gotten back from them.” he sees his prosecution as an opportunity to learn how to navigate and grow from difficult situations Welcome to The Banner's subscriber-only commenting community. 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If the problem persists, please contact customer service at 443-843-0043 or customercare@thebaltimorebanner.com — Disgraced former Pikesville High School athletic director Dazhon Darien pleaded guilty to Disturbing School Operations Baltimore County Circuit Court Judge Jan Alexander sentenced Darien to four months behind bars on Monday Darien used Artificial Intelligence to create a hate-filled racist rant impersonating the voice of former Pikesville High School principal Eric Eiswert This caused a scandal within the Baltimore County Public School System leading to threats of violence against Eiswert From the get-go Eiswert suggested Darien was the likely culprit Eiswert advised that he believed the recording was created using artificial intelligence and was adamant that he has never thought or spoken those words He stated that he believed the athletic director for Pikesville High School identified as this Defendant Dazhon Darien was responsible for creating and circulating the audio clip," detectives wrote in charging documents Eiswert explained that there had been conversations with the defendant about his contract not being renewed due to his poor performance at the school his inability to follow clearly laid out procedures and his unwillingness to follow the chain of command Issues between the administration and the defendant had started in the latter part of 2023 leading up to the release of the audio recording." Investigators ended up corroborating Eiswert's version of events Turns out Darien used a PayPal account to buy a voice cloning application that linked to his Apple iCloud Investigators described the computerized app's capabilities in charging documents "Web service that can turn text into speech using computer-generated voice where it can turn the user's voice into that of a celebrity One can also upload a sample of an individual's voice to then read back text that the user inputs." Detectives discovered Darien's usage of the app through internet browsing history investigators found a pair of audio recordings from a private conversation he had with Eiswert in 2023 Darien uploaded portions of that audio into the app making it seem that Eiswert spewed racist remarks Darien emailed it to three school co-workers under the alias TJ FOUST The subject line of the email read "Pikesville Principal-- Disturbing Recording." and claimed to have nothing to do with the recording Darien's phone number happened to be attached to the TJ FOUST G-Mail account the account was first opened at his grandmother's home in Los Angeles Eiswert has since sued over the trouble he went through He's currently principal of another school in the county RELATED:Former Pikesville principal sues Baltimore County school system, employee who used AI to frame him he was hit with federal child pornography charges Agents found Google accounts and Apple IDs in Darien's name containing files of teenage boys engaged in sexually explicit conduct At least one text message appeared to show Darien sexually coercing a minor One victim recalled meeting Darien on Snapchat They admitted to sending Darien 'content' starting at age of 15 in exchange for money Phone records show Darien last paid the victim just three days before they were interviewed by police Darien allegedly paid the victim nine times A search of Darien's social media accounts revealed four more victims MORE: Former Pikesville High athletic director faces federal child pornography charges Each recounted Darien asking for either sex Darien remains in federal custody pending trial His state sentence related to the school AI case is running concurrent Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Baltimore County Police are investigating a shots-fired call in Pikesville officers responded to the area of Reisterstown Road and Slade Ave to investigate this incident Police reported that no individuals were struck and police are still searching for the suspects and detectives will continue to investigate this incident — Tom Fekete and Dan Brody walk with WMAR-2 News around some centuries-old structures in Pikesville "Over here the Eastern Savings Bank was originally the site of the burnt house tavern where people would come over here to stop in and then go off to either other farmlands This is an area that has transformed over and over through the years And this is where the people from the suburbs came to do their shopping," says Fekete President of Pikesville Improvement Corporation The Pikesville Improvement Corporation is looking to take a long view to maintain the special character of the city "The development of the Pikesville armory will have a great impact on Pikesville." With a fifteen-million-dollar investment by the state the historic armory is expected to open as an indoor-outdoor recreation and senior center by 2028 the Pikesville Improvement Corporation is considering things like a promenade giving it a village feel to make it a place to spend time "Parking's a problem in Pikesville," says Fekete Long considered a pass-through community to Baltimore the Pikesville Improvement Corporation is looking to make it a place people want to stop for a bit This is a problem anyone who lives here experiences They worked with Councilman Izzy Patoka and Revenue Authority Ken Mills to remove some parking meters to see if it would boost business "So we saw an opportunity with the lack of these meters being used to give a little more space for people to come and use this are to park," says Brody Dan points out one of those old historic markers for Old Old Court Road If you were coming up from the city or you were coming up from Pikesville or other neighboring communities you would use this road to go down to Towson," says Brody Highlighting the community's long history as a crossroads it will soon be a crossroads worth stopping in "Pikesville was created years ago and generations ago And now we want to continue that by setting it up successfully for our children and their children," Brody says who split his time between Baltimore and Houston Monday in Baltimore County Circuit Court for jury selection He’s charged with disturbing school operations Circuit Judge Jan Marshall Alexander is expected to preside over the trial which court records indicate could last for one week Pikesville High AI suspect faces additional child sexual exploitation charges Ex-athletic director accused of framing principal with AI arrested at airport with gun Darien used AI to create a clip of Principal Eric Eiswert purportedly making racist and antisemitic comments behind closed doors Darien was the athletic director at the high school Eiswert is now the principal of Sparrows Point Middle School in Edgemere Police also assert that Darien approved a $1,900 payment to his roommate under the pretense that he was working as an assistant coach on the girls soccer team Officers arrested Darien at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport as he tried to board a flight to Houston A Baltimore Banner investigation revealed that Darien made at least 29 false claims on four job applications using two names He also did not meet the minimum requirements to hold his position The Florida Department of Education in 2016 flagged Darien in a clearinghouse used to screen teachers that he was denied a teaching certificate because of “test or document fraud.” Baltimore County Public Schools Superintendent Myriam Rogers has maintained that the system followed its hiring process Darien’s lead attorney, Assistant Public Defender Jasmine Hope, has called the charges a “sad attempt to criminalize conduct that is not criminal.” Darien was originally supposed to stand trial on Jan but the FBI arrested him one day before when he showed up to court for a motions hearing Law enforcement alleges that Darien victimized two teens and possessed child sexual abuse material Those charges carry mandatory minimum sentences ranging from five years to 15 years in prison Bredar has put deadlines on hold in the case and ordered a status and scheduling conference on May 28 to discuss next steps Darien is being detained in the Chesapeake Detention Center Dylan Segelbaum dylan.segelbaum@thebaltimorebanner.com Dylan Segelbaum is the courts reporter at The Baltimore Banner a New York-based fast-casual restaurant chain famous for its burgers The eatery will be located in the Festival at Woodholme shopping center in the 1800 block of Reisterstown Road the leasing agent for the Festival at Woodholme could not confirm the date of the grand opening there were nine Shake Shack locations in Maryland including restaurants at the Inner Harbor and in Canton According to its 2024 fourth-quarter results Shake Shack had a total revenue of $328.7 million including $316.6 million of Shack sales and $12.1 million of Licensing revenue Read the full story on the Baltimore Sun — Shake Shack is getting ready to shake up Reisterstown Road in Baltimore County It's set to open in the Festival at Woodholme in a large corner spot that most recently held Mod Pizza and Corner Bakery Cafe That's according to the site plan from its leasing company RELATED | Shake Shack looking to grow in Baltimore region Shake Shack was "actively seeking new locations in Virginia & Maryland" last year The burger restaurant has locations currently in Towson Baltimore (WBFF) — The fate of a former Baltimore County Public Schools employee accused of using artificial intelligence to frame his school’s principal will soon been decided The trial of former Pikesville High School Athletic Director Dazhon Darien has been set for late-January But there are still many unanswered questions regarding how Darien got his job with the school system “I seriously don’t understand why I have to put up with these dumb***** here every day,” the speaker says in the recording “Between these ungrateful black kids who can’t test their way out of a paper bag.” it was shocking – racist and antisemitic comments allegedly made by then-Pikesville High School principal Eric Eiswert “And if I have to get one more complaint from one more Jew in this community I’m going to join the other side,” the voice in the recording says ALSO READ | Baltimore County hiring process scrutinized after athletic director used fake transcripts suggesting the recording was fake - generated by Artificial Intelligence But Baltimore County Public Schools removed Eiswert from Pikesville and placed him on administrative leave It turns out CASE appears to have been correct police arrested former Pikesville High School Athletic Director Dazhon Darien Darien allegedly used artificial intelligence to create the fake recording Darien faces charges including theft and stalking He’s been released on bail while he awaits his trial which according to state judicial records is set to begin January 28 He’s now the principal of Sparrows Point Middle School Project Baltimore’s reporting has raised questions that taxpayers and parents still do not have answers to concerning why Darien was hired by BCPS in the first place Here’s one unanswered question: During the hiring process what measures were taken by BCPS to confirm the authenticity of Darien’s credentials Project Baltimore obtained a copy of the resume Darien used to get his six-figure job at Pikesville Darien claimed to have earned a bachelor’s degree But Fox45 News contacted the universities on his resume and none of them had any record of Darien graduating Which leads to another unanswered question he would not have been eligible for a Maryland teaching certificate which is required to be an athletic director how could Darien have been hired by BCPS if he didn’t have a valid teaching certificate Project Baltimore has been trying to get answers to these questions Myriam Rogers said the school system followed the standard process before hiring Darien which includes checking references and credentials in addition to a criminal background check and fingerprinting This all leads to a final unanswered question: Has BCPS made any substantial changes to its hiring process following Darien’s arrest Project Baltimore sent an email last week to BCPS with these questions and received a reply that said the district has “ no further comment at this time.” Some of the answers to these questions may be revealed in court during Darien’s trial His time with BCPS prior to allegedly using AI to try to frame his principal will likely be discussed BALTIMORE — Disgraced former Pikesville High School athletic director Dazhon Darien is facing federal pornography charges The news comes as Darien was already due to stand trial at the state level for allegedly using AI to frame the school's principal Baltimore County Police carried out a search warrant at Darien's home on March 7 Inside they seized multiple electronic devices On the device investigators discovered Google accounts and Apple IDs in Darien's name containing files of teenage males engaged in sexually explicit conduct Charging documents also detail a screenshot of a text message appearing to show Darien sexually coercing a minor Investigators identified and interviewed one victim in the files He told detectives how the two met through Snapchat The victim revealed he'd been sending Darien 'content' since the age of 15 in exchange for money received through Cashapp Phone records suggest Darien last paid the victim A search of Darien's social media accounts led police to four more victims Each recalled Darien asking either for sex Darien was supposed to go on trial Tuesday and provide updates as they become available Court documents reveal disturbing details in case against ex-Pikesville High athletic director Dahzon Darien Editor's Note: We previously incorrectly reported that the federal charges had to do with the AI impersonation case The details of that case can be found below _______________________________________________________ Dazhon Darien is accused of using Artificial Intelligence to create a hate-filled racist rant impersonating the voice of Eric Eiswert who was the principal of the school at the time Darien was hit with state charges last April Investigators believed Darien retaliated against Eiswert for not wanting to renew his contract based on the alleged mishandling of school funds Eiswert has since sued for defamation and negligence His lawyers claim Darien should've never been hired in the first place because his resume contained a “myriad of lies and exaggerations." and countless people on social media criticized him over the phony allegations Eiswert was removed from his position while the investigation played out and Superintendent Rogers refused to inform the public that Mr Eiswert did not make the comments depicted on the Fake Audio,” Eiswert’s attorneys wrote in the lawsuit Rogers only offered the tepid qualification that she could not 'confirm' the genuineness of the recording." Despite previously admitting to "having issues" with Eiswert and confessing to sending the fake recording from his work email to someone he "shouldn't have," Darien says he's innocent is still employed with BCPS as principal at Sparrows Point Middle School (WBFF) — A Pikesville optometrist and vision care center will pay $143,336 to resolve allegations that it made false health care claims for services not provided located in the 1000 block of Reisterstown Road allegedly billed Medicaid monthly - sometimes several times a month - for eye exams for the same patients Medicaid covers no more than one optometric exam per year for patients 21 or younger and one exam every two years for recipients 21 and older with certain limitations waived on a case-by-case basis ALSO READ | Baltimore County officer recovering after targeted shooting outside precinct The vision care center paid $71,668 in restitution for services not provided as well as the same amount as a civil penalty Attorney General Anthony Brown thanked the Medicaid Fraud and Vulnerable Victims Unit for their work on the case and Royal Farms is set to open on the property has been removed from the company's website and apparently shut down There is also a large "Royal Farms - Coming Soon" sign PIKESVILLE — A special celebration was held this week for a centenarian veteran who dedicated his life to service both in uniform and in his community was recognized during a ceremony at North Oaks Senior Living in Pikesville received a Centenarian Life Membership from the Jewish War Veterans of the USA but we also what's happening behind the scenes Bernie Vine worked on radar systems in Hawaii right after Pearl Harbor Vine practiced dentistry in Baltimore for over 50 years Baltimore County Councilman Izzy Patoka presented Vine with a special proclamation during the event "It's taken all of his life to reach this milestone… It's so important because WWII veterans are a rare bunch but we have this ability while these service members are alive," Berkovitz said Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans & Military Families This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy — A Pikesville theater that was the first black-owned theater in Maryland has announced it's shutting down Next Act Cinema took over the historic Pikes Theatre building on Reisterstown Road at Sherwood Avenue the owners said on social media that they're closing the venue many people were excited to have the smaller theater "It was always peace and love and I'm really going to miss this place I seen the sign that said thanks for the memories and I was hoping that was a movie because it was really sad to me," says Downey Monday was not just the last time the doors were opened it was also the last time Downey and his son got to watch a movie together at this location Downey says it was bitter sweet for him since he has seen all of the sonic movies at this theater he says it was only right to come on the last day "It's emotional for me because you know me and my son Robert Downey IV we have been coming here for years since they started our barber over east told us about it and we live in the area so we definitely wanted to support this theater since we knew it was a black owned theater and we tried to come every week," he says Dennis Glover says the setting of the theater is different from others "Between this movie theater and the chain theaters its small it's intimate and it's more personable and I think you simply get a better feeling of satisfaction knowing that those things are being offered to you as well as the intimacy that a theater would give you coming into a smaller venue," says Dennis Glover He also says he wonders if the cinema is closing because of low attendance to the movies Dennis Glover says he is hopeful this is not the end of next act cinemas "I'd like to see it remain or taken over ownership by someone else simply because I think the experience is one that is rich and its supporting the community and I just think it needs to remain," he says The owners of next act cinema have not said what their plans are now that the business is closing down — A Pikesville shopping center is planning to build an addition to house a restaurant - after a longtime Panera Bread closed there Woodholme Square, on Reisterstown Road at Mt. Wilson Lane, was up before Baltimore County's Development Review Committee recently The proposal is to add a 4,200-square-foot building for a restaurant in a part of the parking lot that's parallel to Reisterstown Road The building's website mentions a "multi-tenant strip" that is planned for the summer of 2025 an engineer said the plan is for a 4,200-square-foot standalone building designated for a restaurant Panera Bread closed recently at Woodholme Square The company did not respond to a request for comment about the closure and whether other local Panera locations might close by CALE AHEARN | REBECCA PRYOR | FOX45 News BALTIMORE COUNTY (WBFF) — A former athletic director who use artificial intelligence to create a racist deep fake audio recording of Pikesville High School's Prinicipal plead guilty to disturbing school operations on Monday and was sentenced to four months in prison Dazhon Darien pled guilty in Baltimore County Circuit Court on Monday impersonating Principal Eric Eiswert in 2024 is also facing a series of serious federal charges including the sexual exploitation of children The lawyer for Eiswert released the following statement: we would like to thank the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office and Baltimore County Police Department for taking this matter seriously We are happy that the criminal justice system held Mr We are confident that the civil justice system will hold BCPS Eiswert but also to the thousands of students and administrators that rely on BCPS to provide a safe learning environment.” MARYLAND (WBFF) — A former Pikesville insurance agent and financial advisor is facing a third indictment for theft of property valued at $100,000 or more has been indicted now three times since Sept 2024 in connection with his former business as an insurance agent and purported financial advisor Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown announced Wednesday Okolo was charged for theft and insurance fraud a client gave Okolo two partially blank checks to pay for premiums on the client's two insurance policies Authorities say that Okolo allegedly made the checks payable to his business deposited the checks in his business account and spent the money on his own personal and business expenses Okolo was charged with acting as an insurance agent without a license for allegedly continuing to solicit and sell insurance products after the Maryland Insurance Administration (MIA) revoked his license in 2019 While authorities were investigating Okolo for theft and insurance fraud the MIA's investigators discovered that another client had issued a check to Okolo in Oct 2021 for $100,000 for a "real estate investment." ALSO READ | Silver Spring man sentenced to federal prison for pandemic relief loan fraud Officials say that Okolo allegedly cashed the check and spent the funds on personal and business expenses the client said that his longtime insurance agent and financial advisor suggested potential investment opportunities including a commercial real estate partnership Okolo allegedly told the client to put up the money and Okolo would provide his alleged real estate expertise the client became suspicious about what Okolo had done with his money when he could not come up with $32,000 needed for closing costs on a real estate deal When the client asked Okolo where his money was but refused to provide a copy of a bank statement to prove that the client's money was there Authorities say that Okolo's first two cases are scheduled for trial on June 12 in the Circuit Court of Baltimore County An initial appearance in the third case is scheduled for April 14 “Financial fraud of this magnitude is a betrayal of trust and a direct threat to the financial security of Marylanders,” said AG Brown “Those who exploit their clients for personal gain will be held fully accountable Our Office remains steadfast in pursuing justice for victims and ensuring that financial professionals who engage in fraud face serious consequences.” “The primary role of the Maryland Insurance Administration is to protect consumers,” said Acting Maryland Insurance Commissioner Marie Grant “We will continue to work closely with the Office of the Attorney General on cases like this one to ensure that fraud is prosecuted — Former Pikesville high school principal Eric Eiswert says his employer the Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) When an audio clip went viral last January allegedly of Eiswert making racist and anti-semitic remarks about his staff and students The comments were swiftly condemned by elected officials His lawyers say he even faced threats of violence Superintendent Myriam Rogers called the comments “deeply disturbing” but said they hadn't yet verified the authenticity of the recording It wasn't until months later that police said: "We now have conclusive evidence that the recording was not authentic,” Chief Robert McCullough told reporters at an April 26 press conference Baltimore County Police arrested Pikesville athletic director Dazhon Darien and said he used AI to create a fake audio clip Police said it was retaliation against Eiswert for launching an investigation into Darien's alleged mishandling of school funds His professional and personal life were so harmed that it will be difficult and costly to recover the reputation he worked decades to foster," his attorneys wrote in a suit filed Tuesday in Baltimore County Circuit Court Eiswert is suing Darien and two teachers who shared the recording for defamation and he's suing the school system for negligence Although it took months for the police to confirm the audio wasn't real Eiswert's union representatives say they provided a forensic expert analysis proving it was fake to the district within 48 hours of it being published the school continued to punish him and refused to correct the record publicly for months Eiswert did not make the comments depicted on the Fake Audio,” Eiswert’s attorneys write His lawyers also say his removal from his position violated his contractual and due process rights The lawsuit also blames BCPS for hiring Darien in the first place saying his resume contained a “myriad of lies and exaggerations,” and the school system failed to properly vet him “Darien never had the required Maryland teaching certificate or educational background to be hired as an educator in the first place let alone an administrative role requiring additional credentials,” the attorneys write it was Eiswert’s concerns over Darien’s qualifications and competency that led to the souring of the pair’s relationship Darien “spent thousands of dollars on new uniforms without approval and was suspected of misappropriating fundraising money.” that Darien allegedly authorized his roommate a junior varsity basketball coach at Pikesville High falsely claiming he helped coach the girl's soccer team During an interview with detectives when he was initially charged Darien admitted to "having issues" with Eiswert since he was employed Eiswert alerted his superiors to his concerns for several months but after “BCPS failed to act with any urgency to address” those concerns he informed Darien he would not be renewing his contract for the following school year Darien has maintained his innocence in the criminal case His trial is scheduled for the end of this month His public defender declined to comment on the lawsuit A spokesperson for BCPS also declined to comment but did confirm that Eiswert is still employed there He is currently the principal at Sparrows Point Middle School where he was reassigned “in further violation of his contract and constitutional due process,” according to his lawyers we all have to be prepared for cases like these,” Dr University of Maryland professor of media and democracy “We have to avoid automatically believing all the content that we see and hear.” that doesn't even work anymore,” Anton Dahbura co-director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Assured Autonomy Experts we talked to say it’s extremely easy to clone someone’s voice You only need a couple of minutes as a sample But they say there are small ways to tell whether an audio clip is real or AI-generated “You might see the voices skipping at an unnatural rate You might see differences in speed and cadence “So you should be on the lookout for those signs But those signs are going to go away as this technology evolves just things that sound a little unnatural,” Dahbura said those advantages that we have now won't last very long The technology's getting better and better." Dahbura says laws and regulations will try to keep bad actors at bay we as a society are one or two steps behind the technology I know that our leadership in Annapolis at the state level they work really hard to try to catch up but the process takes a lot longer to catch up to the technology and by the time Pikesville High School’s former athletic director appeared in court Monday morning to take an Alford plea An Alford plea means Dazhon Darien accepts a plea agreement without admitting guilt The judge sentenced him to four months at the detention center Federal agents arrested Darien in January as he appeared in court on the state charges Darien faces federal charges after he was indicted on allegations he coerced and sexually exploited minors to create child porn The state’s case against Darien is based on accusations that he used artificial intelligence to make a hate speech recording of the voice of former Pikesville High School principal Eric Eiswert Darien was arrested in April 2024 on multiple state charges that include theft Eiswert filed a lawsuit against Darien the Baltimore County Board of Education and the school district According to court records obtained on Jan Eiswert accuses Darien of conspiring with other district employees to spread the recording and the flagship stations for the Baltimore Ravens Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs which means we may get paid commissions on purchases made through our links to retailer sites.©2023 on behalf of WBAL NewsRadio 1090 and FM 101.5 — Baltimore County leaders unveiled the new Meadow Creek Park today in Pikesville on Church Lane just west of Reisterstown Road The four-acre park is one of two plots of Pikesville land that the county is developing, along with the grounds of the Pikesville Armory The county bought the Church Lane land using $432,000 of state funds in 2020 and developed it with another $1.3 million in county and state funds plus $150,000 in local open space fee-in-lieu revenue and "abundant native plantings," noted a press release The county is also working on plans for a parcel off of Bedford Road Department of Recreation and Parks Director Bob Smith said in a statement: Meadow Creek Park was engineered and designed by TranSystems (formerly Whitney Bailey Cox & Magnani – WBCM) The general contractor was DSM Contracting Baltimore County (WBFF) — A driver was critically injured after crashing into a house on Sunday evening in Pikesville officers from the Pikesville Precinct went to the intersection of Greenspring Avenue and Smith Avenue for a vehicle collision ALSO READ | Baltimore County Police swiftly resolve fight at Towson Town Center, two suspects arrested officers and Baltimore County Fire Department Personnel said they found a driver who was suffering from critical injuries after driving into a residence Officials said the driver was transported to a local hospital for treatment Eric Eiswert, the former principal of Pikesville High School, is suing the school system and the man accused of using artificial intelligence to impersonate him and destroy his reputation In the lawsuit filed Tuesday in Baltimore County Circuit Court a former Pikesville High athletic director used AI to create a recording of him making racist and antisemitic remarks that racked up millions of views on social media let him in the door and refused to correct the record Eiswert and his family continued to endure public humiliation and violent threats,” his attorneys Eiswert over allegations that were quickly proven false and continue to punish him to this day.” was never qualified to work in the school system That’s because his resume contained a “myriad of lies and exaggerations” that were “easily discoverable and disqualifying upon basic vetting,” according to the complaint But because the school system had a “deliberately indifferent and negligent approach” to vetting new hires Darien was placed in a position of authority Eiswert’s union representatives asked forensic experts to analyze the audio They told the school system the recording was compiled in a fraudulent and deceptive manner and possibly entirely fabricated using AI tools,” the lawsuit asserts In spite of those findings the school system removed Eiswert from his position and “refused to correct the record and act in accordance with the information they knew to be true” — allowing the “national destruction” of his reputation to continue The lawsuit contains counts including defamation and negligent hiring “BCPS’s failure to follow its own hiring and oversight processes caused significant damage to Mr and its lack of response to the defamatory audio encouraged the continuing harm,” his lawyers wrote in an emailed statement Eiswert has spent his career as a dedicated educator and is hopeful that this lawsuit will drive meaningful change in protecting students Superintendent Myriam Rogers is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit along with Chief of Human Resources Homer McCall and Bobette Watts-Hitchcock a paraeducator who previously spent 15 years as the school system’s investigations supervisor Rogers and McCall declined to comment through a school system spokesperson The lawsuit comes weeks before Darien, 32, is set to stand trial in Baltimore County Circuit Court on charges of disrupting school activities and related offenses said her client is not guilty of the charges “Artificial intelligence is a sensational topic and the recording underlying this case received a lot of publicity,” Hope said and this is a sad attempt to criminalize conduct that is not criminal.” In the criminal case, Eiswert had sought to block a subpoena for his personnel file which his attorneys characterized as an attempt to “harass and otherwise further retaliate against him.” A judge allowed the subpoena to proceed When the recording was released, many in the public jumped to the conclusion that it was real with some students speaking out about how they viewed the principal’s character said at the time that the principal and his family experienced harassment The school system suspended Eiswert and removed him as principal of Pikesville High He was later transferred to lead Sparrows Point Middle School and Months after the audio clip surfaced, police arrested Darien at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport where he’d been stopped for carrying a gun The allegations that he’d used AI to fake Eiswert’s voice made national news Darien started working in the school system in 2023 as a social studies teacher at Randallstown High School He was promoted to athletic director at Pikesville High But Darien lacked credentials that proved he was qualified for either job The lawsuit mentions a Baltimore Banner investigation that revealed there were at least 16 false claims in Darien’s application to Baltimore County Public Schools which consisted of two resumes under two different names: Dazhon Darien and Darien Spaulding Rogers has blamed Darien’s hiring on loopholes in the hiring process and insisted protocols were properly followed Not long after Darien started at Pikesville High Eiswert noticed that Darien “lacked competence in several areas,” the lawsuit alleges “failed to act with any urgency” to address his concerns Because the school system did not take action Eiswert told Darien his contract as athletic director for the 2024-25 academic year would not be renewed Darien searched for OpenAI tools on the school system’s computer network He used a “combination of surreptitiously obtained recordings” of Eiswert’s voice and AI emailed the recording to two teachers at Pikesville High who “published” the audio “directly to students and through other means.” They did not make any effort to authenticate the recording Ravenell and Waddell did not immediately respond to requests for comment They’re also named as defendants in the lawsuit Eiswert’s union representatives provided the school system with an expert analysis that the audio was not genuine Rogers condemned the language in the recording “thereby implying that it was genuine,” the lawsuit contends Assistant Principal Kathy Albert spoke to detectives and “denied that she was present for any of the alleged comments as depicted in the audio recording.” Yet the school system continued to punish Eiswert and refused to correct the record “enabled and encouraged the public destruction of Mr 2025 at 11:37 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The Baltimore County Police Department accused 44-year-old Lesvin Dominguez-Bolivar of shooting a 62-year-old woman Sunday in the Pikesville area (Jacob Baumgart/Patch Stock Photo)PIKESVILLE MD — A man accused of shooting a woman this weekend in the Pikesville area was held without bond Police from the Pikesville Precinct said they were called for an "assault in progress" Sunday around 10:55 a.m in the 4300 block of Crest Heights Road near the city-county line Officers said they found a 62-year-old woman suffering from multiple gunshot wounds Medics took her to a hospital, a press release said Authorities said they arrested 44-year-old Lesvin Dominguez-Bolivar in the case Records say he faces felony charges of attempted first-degree murder attempted second-degree murder and first-degree assault He's also up against five handgun misdemeanor charges Richardson held the suspect without bond on Monday This map shows the area where the Baltimore County Police Department said the shooting happened Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. 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Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland filed a federal criminal complaint charging Dazhon Darien with sexual exploitation of a child and receiving child sexual abuse material ALSO READ | No, Baltimore County Schools' budget spending proposal is not up 6%, it's up 21% The new federal charges are unrelated to Darien's state case related to the AI recording Darien was arrested Monday after appearing at the Baltimore County Circuit Court for a hearing related to his state trial Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger said the state case has been postponed and it is not clear yet when it will be rescheduled searches of Darien’s phones and online accounts revealed child sexual abuse material The court documents detail the explicit content that was found photos and other files involving children and teenage boys The court documents also said Darien used CashApp to pay a minor victim to send videos of himself engaged in sexually explicit conduct ALSO READ | Suspect in racist AI recording case, BCPS sued by former Pikesville High principal Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland said Darien could a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years or a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child He could receive a mandatory minimum sentence of five years or a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for the child sexual abuse material charge The Office of the Public Defender and the attorney representing him in his state case did not wish to comment on Darien’s charges or the Baltimore County case Baltimore County will invest $9.5 million in a project to redevelop the Pikesville Armory and expand recreational opportunities at the aging military site and community hub The county and the Pikesville Armory Foundation envision turning the site now a largely barren area with a crumbling club building walking paths and other recreational spaces The project’s first phase — the renovation of a clubhouse used by Recreation and Parks employees and for local community meetings — started in April. Phase one is expected to be completed by next spring, according to a news release from the county last week The second phase is scheduled to begin in early 2026 and take about two years to finish the facility is the state’s second-oldest armory and was originally used to accommodate the expansion of the National Guard It has since become a social square for the Pikesville community where local residents can attend community dances The armory has also hosted functions for Presidents Harry Truman Lyndon Johnson and for future Vice President Spiro Agnew when he was Baltimore County executive said the redevelopment is particularly important for the Pikesville community because “there’s a massive shortage of playgrounds The project will create 30,000 square feet of play areas for pickleball will largely front the cost of the project The county will provide the $9.5 million in installments in 2026 for the outdoor recreation space The foundation will finance another $30 million through a capital campaign and it’s responsible for the development of the senior center Ginsburg declined to say how much money the foundation has raised The foundation has seen a surge in donations since the county’s latest financial commitment “The question we got from philanthropists was ‘How do you know this is real?’ ” he said State and local governments deliberated the future of the property for at least seven years ‘This project is definitely going to happen.’ ” The county’s pledge marks one of outgoing County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr.’s last efforts to improve and expand recreational space in the county The Democrat was elected last month to Congress and takes office Jan 3 “I am thrilled to share this agreement regarding the future of the Pikesville Armory— one that can help ensure the long-term success of this storied site,” Olszewski said on X The announcement also memorializes a partnership between the foundation and county which previously invested $6 million on pre-development needs such as for architects and engineers to draw up building plans and for lawyers to sort out zoning issues The foundation previously raised $32 million “This is really the final step,” Ginsburg said “Everybody knows this is really going to happen.” Danny Nguyen danny.nguyen@thebaltimorebanner.com Danny Nguyen covers all things Baltimore County for The Baltimore Banner PIKESVILLE (WBFF) — Two people were rescued from icy waters on Monday afternoon in Pikesville, Baltimore County Fire Dept. said on X. fire crews rescued a man and a child from icy waters at Druid Ridge Cemetery in the 7900 block of Park Heights Ave says both the man and child were safely removed from the water within minutes and were taken to Sinai Hospital in stable condition — It was a once-in-a-lifetime call for All Star Pest Management in Catonsville When a "quite panicked" customer called Tuesday to report a 10-foot python in their backyard All Star branch manager Ihab Sahal thought: "That's funny; I don't think so." There really was a massive constrictor snake in their yard Sahal hadn't seen anything like it in his nine years with the company - but he's a "big fan of snakes," and had handled plenty of calls for smaller snakes Two employees from All Star arrived on the scene to handle the very unusual situation Sahal wasn't sure what the python had eaten He was just hoping it was some kind of wild animal But the fact that the snake "was a little lethargic" definitely helped the team be able to capture it One worker distracted the snake from one side so the other person could grab the python's head He originally thought they could put it in a pillowcase but it was so large they ended up using a 60-gallon cooler they're able to easily kill a human being by wrapping around them The python likely started out as someone's exotic pet Sahal said he checked with surrounding homes - which are spread very far apart in that area - to make sure it didn't belong to a neighbor The python was handed over to Howard County Animal Control The man accused of using artificial intelligence to impersonate a Baltimore County principal is set to stand trial next month and Baltimore County Police eventually arrested Darien Darien, 32, is charged in Baltimore County Circuit Court with disrupting school activities Police claim Darien made the recording in retaliation for Eiswert initiating an investigation into theft authorized a more than $1,900 payment to his roommate under the pretense that the roommate was an assistant girls soccer coach Schools chief insists teacher who lied on his résumé had credentials checked Man charged in racist AI scandal lied on résumé to get Baltimore County school job Baltimore County principal’s racist comments faked by AI, experts say earlier this month served a subpoena on Baltimore County Public Schools for Eiswert’s personnel file is the state’s key witness in the case — and his statements are the main basis for the charges against her client Hope wrote in court documents that she has a duty to investigate and prepare a defense “The subpoena for these records is a part of that investigation,” Hope said “His credibility is critical in this case and will be tried.” were involved in the release and spreading of the clip Hope also alleges an expert report “does not indicate that the voice in the recording is not human.” The report only found that the audio had been altered She said “nothing outside of the witness’ denial proves the voice in the recording is not that of Mr Hope said bias and motive are always relevant Instead of fighting the subpoena for the personnel records the school system’s general counsel left that up to Eiswert’s attorneys They’re asking a judge to enter an order preventing the file from being disclosed Eiswert has suffered significant irreparable harm to his reputation as a result of the crimes committed against him,” his attorneys “Not only does the subpoena at issue not satisfy the applicable legal criteria it is a veiled attempt to further victimize Mr The “fishing expedition,” Eiswert’s attorneys said Eiswert’s file could be relevant to the crimes committed Nothing in the personnel file could justify or mitigate the crimes committed against Mr “He has not committed a crime and his behavior is not at issue in this criminal case Eiswert’s only involvement in this case is that he was a victim of the defendant’s alleged crimes.” His attorneys described him as a “hardworking public servant” and later called the subpoena an attempt to “harass and otherwise further retaliate against him.” When the clip that police allege was made with AI hit the internet earlier this year, social media users and students at the school believed the principal made the comments head of the union that represents principals said Eiswert needed police presence at his home since he and his family were being harassed Eiswert is now principal of Sparrows Point Middle School in Edgemere He was also accused of submitting fraudulent documents for a Florida teaching job in 2016 Florida’s education department flagged that through a national database that warns school systems about issues with educators but the Maryland State Department of Education did not check until after Darien’s arrest Baltimore County Public Schools didn’t have access to the database until this summer This reporting is part of The Banner’s Education Hub, community-funded journalism that provides parents with resources they need to make decisions about how their children learn. 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SUN: Suspect in racist AI recording case BCPS sued by former Pikesville High principalby TODD KARPOVICH | The Baltimore Sun | tkarpovich@baltsun.com The former principal of Pikesville High School whose voice was allegedly imitated in a racist AI-generated recording is now suing Baltimore County Public Schools the athletic director charged in the case and other BCPS employees Eric Eiswert filed the suit in Baltimore County Circuit Court on Tuesday alleging former athletic director Dazhon Darien and other school officials disseminated the fake audio clip to students and others “causing it to spread rapidly” on social media and receive “millions of views,” according to court documents an activist and executive director of the nonprofit Campaign Zero posted the audio to his nearly 1 million social media followers comments in the recording,””] according to the complaint including former Baltimore County Executive and current U.S Eiswert was subjected to threats of violence and malicious character attacks along with calls for him to be fired,” his attorneys said in the complaint His professional and personal life were so harmed that it will be difficult and costly to recover the reputation he worked decades to foster.” Read the full story on The Baltimore Sun's website — It seems like a community walk around a Pikesville hotel that people in the area call a “crime magnet” may have worked The Randallstown NAACP says they have reached an agreement with the owners of the Howard Johnson By Wyndham on Reisterstown Road to make the property safer “We’re really happy with it,” says Randallstown NAACP president historic agreement to really get the management here to compromise with us and it’s a big win for the Pikesville community and Baltimore County.” which is just north of the city-county line has long been a source of human trafficking prostitution and other criminal activity and they’ve had enough Coleman says he’s heard from residents and businesses that have concerns about the crime there His branch has been trying to get changes for at least eight years county officials and other community leaders They also started a letter-writing campaign to the operator of the hotel The NAACP says county 911 records show that police and/or medics have been called to the hotel twice a day for the last year And crime data from county police from the past two years shows more than 125 crimes have taken place there multiple online escort services showed 20 ads for sex workers working out of that hotel “These actions negatively impact the wellbeing of the residents police officers and medical personnel in Baltimore County,” Coleman says “This constant drain reduces the services of police and fire that can be provided to the greater community.” elected officials and police met with hotel management and Wyndham representatives the owners agreed to a list of concessions: Coleman says the hotel has already started work on the list The organization will stay in contact with Bhavsar and his staff to carry out the to-do list Community leaders plan to do a walkthrough in about three or four months to see the changes Baltimore County Police says they will “continue to work closely with our community partners to address any potential criminal activity in the area.” Bhavsar did not respond to requests for comment — The Pikesville Armory has officially gotten $15 million from the state toward its major revitalization plans into a community hub with an arts focus could ultimately cost more than $100 million RELATED | Changing the face of Pikesville The state's Housing and Community Development department awarded the Armory Foundation $15 million from the Catalytic Revitalization Tax Credit program Ground was broken on the project in January 2024 and it's expected to be finished in 2028 Pikesville Armory Foundation President Shelley Morhaim said in a press release: The tax credit program supports rehabbing and renovating properties formerly owned by the state or the federal government The Armory was owned by the state until it was recently transferred to the Foundation Maryland Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day said this "will breathe new life into Pikesville and the surrounding community in northwest Baltimore City and Baltimore County Incorporating feedback from over 1,500 survey respondents from over 40 neighborhoods this redevelopment will be a true reflection of those who will soon learn — A new vision for the historic Pikesville Armory is slowly coming to life On Friday Baltimore County announced a $9.5 million investment towards planning designing and constructing an outdoor walking path playground and athletic fields on the 14 acre-property The plan also calls for adding 30,000 square feet of indoor sports courts Back in 2023 the County transferred the land to the Pikesville Armory Foundation with the goal of turning the site into a recreational space Officials now want to build a 25,000 square foot senior center as well but the first stage is to renovate the NCO Club building – which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places the building will house Pikesville-based parks and rec employees and provide event space for community and local organizations MORE: Transforming historic military site into community hub Groundbreaking for the project's second phase is scheduled for early 2026 with an estimated two-year completion window The Foundation along with the Seawall and Onyx Development companies are heading up construction efforts with hopes of receiving state funding and outside help The County says they won't be on the hook for any budget shortfalls if extra financial assistance isn't provided "Should expected outside funding not materialize the outdoor recreational amenities will still be constructed and Baltimore County will not be responsible for absorbing any budget shortfalls Additional terms will be included in soon-to-be executed letters of intent," the County said in a press release FBI special agents on Monday arrested a man who’s accused of using artificial intelligence to impersonate the principal of Pikesville High School less than 24 hours before his trial was scheduled to begin in the case Dazhon Darien, 32 District Court in Baltimore with sexual exploitation of children and receipt of child pornography Investigators reported that they found sexually explicit images of teen boys during a search of Darien’s online accounts They later interviewed one teen who said Darien had contacted him over Snapchat and paid for inappropriate chats The complaint alleges that there are five victims including one who reported that he met up with Darien to engage in sexually explicit conduct at a hotel A different teen told law enforcement he was a freshman in high school when Darien whom he knew as “Zay,” offered to buy a sex toy if he could give it to him in person Sexual exploitation of children carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison Darien is the former athletic director of Pikesville High and briefly worked as a social studies teacher at Randallstown High School The criminal complaint does not specify where the teens in the case attended school After Darien’s arrest last April, students at Pikesville High described behavior they felt was inappropriate or made them feel uncomfortable One student said Darien unfairly enforced a dress code that she thought had to do with the shape of her body Records obtained by The Baltimore Banner show he’d been flagged for inappropriate behavior at least once before he worked in Baltimore County schools He resigned from a job at a Florida high school in 2015 after officials confronted him about texting a female student Darien appeared in federal court just before 4 p.m Magistrate Judge Erin Aslan advised Darien of his rights and appointed Assistant Federal Public Defender Courtney Francik to represent him Attorney Christine Goo said the government is seeking to detain Darien until his trial for the safety of the community Aslan ordered him to temporarily be detained and set a hearing for 3 p.m for a motions hearing in Baltimore County Circuit Court where he’s charged with disturbing school operations a sheriff’s deputy placed Darien in handcuffs and escorted him out of the courtroom announced that her client was “just arrested on a federal warrant.” But Hope asked to move forward with the motions hearing without her client so he could be processed and potentially released in time on Tuesday for his trial “I think that’s rather ambitious,” Baltimore County Circuit Judge Jan Marshall Alexander said “I don’t think he’s going to be processed that quickly.” Alexander then directed the parties to appear before the judge in charge of the criminal docket Deputy State’s Attorney John Cox said he spoke with a federal prosecutor who told him that there was a 99% chance that Darien would not be processed in time was recently able to crack an iPhone that belonged to Darien and recover significant evidence off the device “I think a postponement is needed in the interests of justice,” Cox said This reporting is part of The Banner’s Education Hub, community-funded journalism that provides parents with resources they need to make decisions about how their children learn. Read more. — This busy stretch of Reisterstown Road runs right through the heart of Pikesville the businesses in this town were hit hard by the pandemic incredibly tough on a business community that is already facing a lot of economic hardship,” says Beth Rheingold of the Greater Baltimore Chamber of Commerce the ownership decided to just go into early retirement and the Pikesville Armory Foundation have formed the Pikesville Downtown Partnership Carrying out years of Baltimore County planning because a highway drives straight through our town “What the restaurants and businesses need is for people to slow down,” she says We want pedestrians to come back to Pikesville.” “We're gonna rebrand Pikesville,” Rheingold says That includes pedestrian-friendly walkways and additional parking “We really want people to be able to just zip in The old armory turning into a community hub is another boost to the business district And people will have a chance to give their input on all of it. Several community meetings are in the works. You can find out more here (WBFF) — An 87-year-old Pikesville woman is still recovering after injuries she received Wednesday night during a carjacking 66-year-old Valarie Smith was dropping off groceries to her mom when she says she was approached by a teen wearing a ski mask and all black clothing ALSO READ |Baltimore police confirm three armed carjackings in just one hour Smith says the suspect pulled a gun on her and a struggle ensued another suspect approached and pulled her off the first suspect And she came out there and she came prepared for business," Smith said As Smith was fighting to get the keys out of the vehicle one of the suspects slammed the door on her hand “He was just dragging me down the road and my mother was trying to hold me," said Smith but realized her mother was seriously injured she was lying in a pool of blood," said Smith The suspects got away with Smith's 2018 Acura MDX praying for a healing where my mother will walk again," Smith said