The case is the first indictment under a 2023 Maryland law that made operating an assisted living facility without a license a felony, according to Attorney General Anthony Brown’s office. If convicted, Thomas could face a fine of up to $10,000, as much as five years in prison, or both. An indictment is an accusation, and Thomas is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Thomas is the owner and operator of Aim to Inspire Care Forever, a registered nonprofit that he has described as providing supportive housing. He applied for an assisted-living license in January 2025, but the Maryland Department of Health’s Office of Health Care Quality denied the application in January 2026, charging documents say.

On March 30, state and city agencies inspected the property and found residents who needed assisted-living care, according to the account of the investigation. The Baltimore City Fire Marshal deemed the building unsafe, and residents were moved to hospitals or licensed facilities.

The state health department had also issued an emergency suspension against the organization after investigators identified alleged deficiencies, including a lack of nursing supervision, inadequate medication management and reports that some residents went as long as 30 days without prescribed medicines. Officials also found that the nonprofit housed people whose care needs exceeded its authority and had not completed required staff background checks and screenings.

George Gilliam, a 62-year-old resident, said he paid $765 a month in rent and worried that speaking up could leave him without housing. “I pay $765 a month for rent...I can stay here as long as I can pay my rent,” he said. He also described trying to obtain food assistance.

The case highlights the risks facing older and disabled Marylanders who need housing and support but may have few options. State officials have described unlicensed facilities as places where vulnerable people can face abuse and exploitation. In a statement, leaders of the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit said such facilities can become “hotbeds for the abuse and exploitation” of people unable to protect themselves.

Thomas previously said Aim to Inspire served residents in 38 units and had assisted between 200 and 400 people since beginning operations in Maryland in 2018. LifeBridge Health confirmed it had a business relationship with the organization for medical respite care, but declined to provide further comment when asked about the arrangement. Thomas and LifeBridge did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday.

The property owner, 211 W Garrison LLC, has filed for receivership, alleging Thomas was illegally operating an assisted living facility. The indictment marks the first criminal case under the state law, despite its passage in 2023.