Rapper Steals LGBTQ+ Pride Emblems From Anne Arundel County Church: Police

ODENTON, MD — A rapper and record label CEO was recently accused of stealing LGBTQ+ pride emblems from an Odenton church, police said.

Officers said they arrested the suspect last Friday after the pride rainbow hearts were stolen on consecutive days from Ark and Dove Presbyterian Church.

Court records identified the suspect as 28-year-old Michal DeAngelo Billups. His case file lists his home address in Severn, but his Facebook profile says he lives in Annapolis.

Authorities said they learned that six of the rainbow hearts were stolen from a sign outside the church on May 16.

Another five were stolen on May 17 from what appeared to be the same suspect, the Anne Arundel County Police Department said.

Officers said they conduct periodic checks on the church, located at 8424 Piney Orchard Parkway, because of frequent theft and vandalism to their Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ+ inclusion signs.

Authorities said they were on a routine check last Friday around 9:15 p.m. when they saw a suspect start removing more rainbow hearts near the sign.

Police said the suspect ran away as they approached, but officers eventually caught and arrested him.

Court records show that Billups is up against these three misdemeanors:

• Theft worth less than $100
• Theft scheme worth $100 to $1,500
• Malicious destruction of property valued at less than $1,000

A judge released Billups on recognizance on Saturday, the record says.

"To our knowledge he has never attended a service or one of our groups or public events," Ark and Dove Pastor Tim Stern told Patch.

On May 15, Ark and Dove Presbyterian posted a photo on Facebook showing 16 rainbow hearts around a sign that said "They stole our banner but not our love for the community."

There were five plastic rainbow hearts left around the sign when Patch visited the church on Tuesday.

The Black Lives Matter and Dismantle Racism signs are still hanging steps away.
There are now security cameras monitoring the area.

The church is preparing a press release with more comments and information, Stern said.

Billups, whose stage name is Michal DeAngelo, launched Double A Records in 2021. The label is named after Anne Arundel County.

Billups has also become what he calls an "activist" in recent weeks. He said he is acting in the name of God.

"Do you really follow Christ if you haven't been imprisoned for your faith?" Billups said Tuesday on Facebook. "Christ doesn't call us to harm any human but rather breakdown Strongholds in the spiritual and symbolic realm."

Billups also alleged that citizens and churches have different freedom of speech rights.

"Let me remind everyone that freedom of speech is an inaliable right to American Citizens. A Church Building is not a citizen. A church building has the right to express doctrine and the adoration thereof," Billups said. "And like a soldier in service to his commander, I am duty bound to the edification of the global church. Starting with my church home and the churches within my county then abroad."