Baltimore cop kept his badge 11 years after talking to FBI source about drug dealing

In August 2014, an FBI confidential source met Alexi Correa at a bar and heard a shocking story from the Baltimore police officer.

Correa talked about his own involvement in selling cocaine, offered to launder the source’s money and gave tips on how to carry a gun without getting caught, according to a summary of the recorded conversation obtained by The Banner.

But Correa was never charged with a crime. And the BPD, unaware of the recording, assigned the department veteran to work in its public integrity bureau, which investigates officer misconduct — including having him work on the case of Freddie Gray, the Baltimore man who died in 2015 after his time in police custody.

Eleven years later, the case finally caught up to him.

Correa resigned from the police department in December rather than face an internal disciplinary hearing over charges related to the recording, officials confirmed.

Police department officials only learned about the FBI recording in 2021 and then spent four years investigating and trying to discipline Correa, records show. In fiscal year 2025, Correa, who joined the department in 2001, took home $114,830 in salary.

Records show that Correa denied the accusations to investigators. He did not return messages seeking comment, nor did an attorney who was listed as representing him during the investigation.

It’s not unusual that federal authorities would withhold information from a police department whose officer they were investigating. The FBI through a spokesperson declined to discuss the investigation and what if anything happened after the recorded conversation.

The long path to pushing Correa out of the department highlights the agency’s persistent problem of dealing with cops accused of significant wrongdoing.

Commissioner Richard Worley told the Police Accountability Board recently that there’s a backlog of about 700 cases of officers administratively charged and awaiting trial boards.

“There’s no way to get through those without making some kind of adjustments,” Worley said.

Deputy Commissioner Brian Nadeau said the agency was looking into hiring an additional administrative or retired judge to help work through the backlog. But Nadeau noted that other factors could still prevent cases from being heard expeditiously, such as the time needed for an officer to prepare a defense.

The Banner requested the case file related to the Correa investigation in January following his resignation. Though the Maryland Public Information Act requires materials be produced within 30 days, the police department took months and released only a six-page summary document.

Then the Banner requested additional records: a transcript of the recorded conversation cited in the summary document. But the police department withheld the transcript, saying the FBI instructed them years ago not to disclose it.

The summary investigative document, however, says the FBI conducted surveillance on Correa and a confidential source on Aug. 20, 2014, and recorded him discussing “his involvement in the cutting and selling of cocaine.”

“Correa also discussed purchasing cocaine with the CHS [confidential human source]. Correa also offered to engage in money laundering for the CHS,” internal affairs investigators wrote, adding that the officer also discussed how he could protect the informant from police and advised him on avoiding police detection while carrying a gun.

Correa went on to work in internal affairs. He was among the many officers who investigated the death of Freddie Gray. A 2015 Sun article included photographs of Correa using a bolt cutter to remove a padlock from the locker of one of the six police officers charged, but not convicted, in the Gray case. He was also spotted visiting a church on Pennsylvania Avenue to gather video recorded on the street.

Baltimore Police said they didn’t learn of the FBI’s investigation into Correa until five years ago.

“Upon receiving that information, the department opened an internal investigation and reviewed the materials provided by federal authorities,” spokeswoman Lindsey Eldridge said in a statement.

Internal Baltimore Police disciplinary records show that Correa denied selling drugs and laundering money, “but agreed he was associating with people with questionable backgrounds,” police wrote. Correa added that he had been approached about illegal activities while standing in a bar, but never participated in any.

Correa was removed from the Public Integrity Bureau in August 2021 while the administrative investigation continued, Eldridge said. He was charged in May 2022 with inappropriate association and conduct unbecoming a police officer.

Correa contested the findings and asked for a trial board hearing, which was scheduled for September 2025. The hearing did not take place, and he resigned effective Dec. 1, according to the department.

“While personnel matters limit what the department can publicly discuss, BPD takes allegations of misconduct seriously and investigates allegations thoroughly when information is received,” Eldridge said.

Reporter Alex Mann contributed to this article