Published March 25, 2026 at 1:26PM
Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced that Jonathan Tarrell Smalls, 42, of Pennsylvania, was sentenced on March 20, 2026, in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court to four years in prison, followed by five years of supervised probation, in connection with multiple fraud cases.
Smalls previously pleaded guilty to felony theft schemes exceeding $100,000 and between $25,000 and $100,000, as well as filing a false tax return. He was also ordered to pay $2,760,036 in restitution to the State of Maryland and faces up to an additional 11 years if he violates probation.
According to investigators, Smalls fraudulently obtained more than $2.5 million from Maryland between 2014 and 2024 by concealing his ownership of childcare centers and inflating attendance records after his childcare credentials were revoked. He also improperly received SNAP and Maryland Medical Assistance benefits by misrepresenting his income and residence, despite living in Pennsylvania. Authorities said his reported income did not align with his assets, which included properties in multiple states and luxury vehicles.