Baltimore City police arrested Dunbar High School football coach Lawrence Smith Friday morning on charges of tax fraud and abusing overtime pay.

Smith, who serves as a detective in Baltimore City public schools, paid himself over $215,000 for overtime hours he did not work from January 2019 until August 2022, according to the grand jury’s indictment.

Thursday’s indictment also accuses Smith of evading taxes for three years, and filing a false tax form in 2018.

In a statement, Baltimore City Schools said leaders removed Smith from his position, where he managed overtime pay for school police officers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The charges against Lawrence Smith – including attempts to defraud City Schools through false reporting – are unacceptable,” the statement read. “Such actions, if true, erode the trust between the public and the City Schools employees who follow the rules and serve our community daily.”

Smith appeared in court for the first time on Friday afternoon. Judge J. Mark Coulson said Smith faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each of his 11 wire fraud charges, and a total maximum of 18 years for his four tax-related charges.

The judge also released Smith pending trial, on conditions of surrendering his firearm and passport – and not contacting any witnesses involved in the case.