Sheila Dixon trial

Obama reversed an invitation of Dixon to the White House in a conference of seventy mayors, supposedly due to the charges she was facing.

This was despite the fact that Dixon had endorsed Obama for president during the election and his arrival in Baltimore days before the inauguration.

[2] On June 17, 2008, investigators from the Office of the State Prosecutor executed a search and seizure warrant at Dixon's residence in southwest Baltimore.

The affidavit filed to support a search warrant on the company Doracon was published on the Baltimore Sun's website on June 23, 2008.

[11] Despite her career and freedom being on the line, Dixon held the attitude throughout the trial that it'll be "business as usual" for the city of Baltimore.

Ronald Matlon, a retired Towson University professor, was hired to help the state in selecting jurors.

[21] On December 1, 2009, the jury found Dixon guilty on one charge of misdemeanor embezzlement for violating her fiduciary duties to the city and citizens of Baltimore by using approximately $530 in retail store gift cards intended to be distributed to needy families.

[23] Pollack was also one of several jurors who texted each other via Facebook, prompting, in part, Ms. Dixon's post trial motions.

[25] Although a jury had found Dixon guilty on one misdemeanor count, she was not formally convicted until sentenced by the presiding judge,[26] thus allowing her to remain in office.

[27] On January 6, 2010, as part of a plea agreement reached with prosecutors, Dixon announced that she was resigning as Mayor, effective February 4, 2010.

Under the terms of the agreement Dixon will get probation before judgment (PBJ) in the recent case where she had been found guilty, as well as in a perjury trial that had been scheduled for March, 2010.

She also will be required to donate $45,000 to the Bea Gaddy Foundation and to serve 500 hours of community service at Our Daily Bread.

She agreed to not seek office in the city of Baltimore or state of Maryland during the term of her probation and she will not solicit or accept taxpayer money to pay her defense fees.

[30][31] In November 2012, Dixon was charged with violating the terms of her probation, for failure to make restitution payments to charity on schedule.