Where is Ex-Bail Bondsman ‘Donald Stepp’ Now? – The documentary ‘We Own This City‘ explores the investigation of the Baltimore Police Department’s Gun Trace Task Force’s illegal activities. Many of the unit’s members, led by Sergeant Wayne Jenkins, commit heinous crimes such as stealing from suspects and reselling drugs confiscated during raids.
As the inquiry into their shady dealings progresses, many cases emerge. Many of the dishonest members of the GTTF’s colleagues are also being investigated, revealing even more details about how the cops misused their authority.
Jenkins faces a lot of scrutiny as the unit’s leader during the investigation. However, the most incriminating evidence against him arrives at the last minute, when a bail bondsman named Donald Stepp (Seth Hurwitz) offers to reveal the crimes he and Jenkins did together. Given how much of ‘We Own This City’ is based on true events, let’s take a look at Donald Stepp’s current whereabouts.
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Who is Donald Stepp, and Where Did he Come From?
After being arrested on narcotics charges in December 2017, Donald C. Stepp revealed the shocking extent of criminal activities he and former Sergeant Wayne Jenkins of the Gun Trace Task Force (GTTF) engaged in. Stepp became a crucial witness during the GTTF members’ 2018 trial because of all the evidence he still had from the crimes he and Jenkins conspired on. Photographs and videos, as well as stolen items like drugs and watches, were among them.
Stepp was 52 years old at the time of his arrest and the owner of Double D Bail Bonds. Jenkins allegedly approached him in 2012 and asked whether he could assist with the transportation of huge volumes of cocaine. Jenkins allegedly brought Stepp drugs to be resold on a near-daily basis, and the two formed a type of relationship.
Because the drugs were seized by the police, selling them yielded a 100% profit. Stepp estimated that he made around $1 million selling the drugs at one point, with Jenkins getting a $250,000 portion. During the 2015 riots in Baltimore, Jenkins delivered Stepp bags of stolen medicinal drugs in connection with Freddie Gray’s death.
Stepp made use of his cartel contacts to market the drugs Jenkins had brought in. He was initially friends with Jenkins’ older brother when he was growing up in Middle River (where Jenkins is from).
Jenkins began collaborating with the police officer to distribute drugs after noticing how lucrative the link was. Stepp allegedly began selling marijuana at the age of nine and had a string of offences before his arrest in 2017.
Stepp’s large collection of evidence against Jenkins proved beneficial to government prosecutors, despite the fact that he didn’t volunteer the information on Jenkins prior to his arrest. The drugs found in his residence were enough to warrant a ten-year term, but prosecutors requested a lower sentence in exchange for Stepp’s cooperation in sharing evidence.
What Happened to Donald Stepp and Where Is He Now?
Following a reduced sentence, Donald Stepp was released from federal prison in 2021. He continued to speak out against convicted GTTF officers after his release, particularly Wayne Jenkins and Daniel Hersl, who felt that the allegations against them were overblown.
Jenkins would transport the seized drugs to Stepp’s beachfront property on a daily basis, according to reports. Following Stepp’s conviction, the house in Bowleys Quarters was foreclosed. His early release from prison was based partly on compassionate grounds so that he could care for his disabled child. Stepp also lost his adult daughter to substance usage, according to reports.
Despite the fact that little is known about his current activities, the former bail bondsman has stated that he intends to work as a counsellor. He appears to be planning to launch a consultancy firm to assist people in navigating the federal prison system.
His prior company, Double D Bail Bonds, appears to still be in operation; however, it appears to mostly sell apparel. It also offers branded clothes with the title of the show, ‘We Own This City,’ on the front. Despite the fact that Stepp’s whereabouts are unknown, Double D Bail Bonds remains in Middle River, Maryland.
You can watch ‘We Own This City’ Season 1 episodes on HBO.
