Maryland Delegate Denies $81K Church Rent Judgment Despite Signing Lease Docs

Del. Jeffrie E. Long Jr. says he knew nothing about an $81,500 court judgment tied to unpaid rent at the Huntingtown church he pastors. His signature, court records show, is on both the lease that started the dispute and the settlement agreement that failed to end it.

Long, a Democrat representing parts of Calvert and Prince George's counties, denied knowledge of the case or any related financial obligations. The dispute centers on a commercial lease for property on Old Town Road in Huntingtown, where Long serves as senior pastor of Communion Way of the Cross Church. That lease was originally executed in March 2022 and ran through May 2024.

After payments went largely unmade, Primis Bank initiated legal action. Court filings show Long and co-defendant Juan Denise Mackall subsequently signed a settlement agreement outlining a reduced payment plan totaling $50,000. That arrangement collapsed after an early payment was returned due to insufficient funds, prompting the bank to pursue the full balance.

Damages accumulated to more than $65,000 before additional fees and interest were applied. A judge granted a motion for judgment in January 2026, ordering Long to pay $81,500 along with interest and court costs, according to records filed in Charles County Circuit Court. The legal dispute unfolded over more than 20 months.

Long is seeking reelection in the June primary, and the judgment entered the public record roughly three months before Maryland Democrats head to the polls.