CENTREVILLE — Former Sudlersville town commissioner Jonathan Keith Griffith on Wednesday, June 3 pleaded guilty to felony theft scheme of more than $100,000.
Sentencing is set for July 28 in the Circuit Court for Queen Anne’s County.
According to a news release from the Office of the Queen Anne’s County State’s Attorney, theft over $100,000 is the highest theft charge in the State of Maryland. The maximum penalty is 20 years incarceration.
In July 2025 suspicions arose that Griffith, who at the time was president of the Sudlersville town commission, was mismanaging town funds.
The state’s attorney’s office initiated a formal investigation and obtained Town of Sudlersville banking records as well as the personal banking records of Griffith.
Griffith, 48, was served an arrest warrant on Dec. 12 charging him with misconduct in office and five counts of felony theft.
“The evidence showed that between November 4, 2022 and August 25, 2025, Mr. Griffith stole $344,723.23 from several Town of Sudlersville banking accounts by making numerous unauthorized debit card purchases, ATM withdrawals, counter cash withdrawals and the issuing of checks to himself. The evidence also showed that a large volume of the stolen funds were deposited into Mr. Griffith’s personal banking accounts,” the news release states.