Baltimore County Police arrested former Pikesville High School athletic director Dazhon Darien on Thursday after he was accused of creating a fake audio clip using AI technology to frame the school’s principal for making racist remarks. The arrest occurred as Darien, 31, was attempting to board a flight while carrying a firearm, authorities said.
“The former athletic director was taken into custody by officers with the Maryland Transportation Authority due to an active warrant,” stated Baltimore County Chief of Police Robert McCollough during a press conference. McCollough detailed the charges against Darien, which include disrupting school activities, theft, retaliating against a witness, and stalking. Darien is currently held on a $5,000 bond.
The controversy began when an audio clip, allegedly featuring Principal Eric Eiswert’s voice making racist and anti-Semitic remarks, was circulated on social media in January. This led to Eiswert’s temporary removal from his role and a flurry of hate-filled responses.
“The audio clip had profound repercussions. It not only led to Eiswert’s temporary removal from the school but also triggered a wave of hate-filled messages on social media and numerous calls to the school. The recording also caused significant disruptions for the PHS staff and students,” read the police’s charging documents, as reported by The Baltimore Banner.
Investigators later discovered that the recording was fabricated using artificial intelligence. “We found conclusive evidence that the recording was not authentic, and two forensic analysts confirmed that the recording was generated through the use of artificial intelligence,” McCollough explained.
Further investigation revealed Darien had used school computers to search for AI audio technology and was also linked to an email connected to the social media account that initially shared the clip. This action reportedly was a retaliatory move against Eiswert, who had placed Darien under investigation for financial misconduct earlier in the year.
The Baltimore Banner noted that Darien was scrutinized after he issued a nearly $2,000 payment to the school’s junior varsity basketball coach, who is also his roommate, for a role that the individual reportedly did not hold.
The fake audio clip not only forced Eiswert to step away from his duties but also led to a significant increase in security measures at the school. “The school leadership expressed that staff did not feel safe, which required an increase in police presence at the school to address safety concerns and fears,” stated the police.
