Maryland
Marine’s wife Bailey Anne Kennedy crowned first transgender Miss Maryland USA
The wife of a Marine has been crowned the first-ever transgender Miss Maryland USA — and said she was inspired by the “sisterhood” of other competitors she saw on the pageant circuit.
Bailey Anne Kennedy, 31, won the coveted title on Saturday, according to the official Miss Maryland USA Instagram account.
She is now prepared to compete at Miss USA, which will be held in Los Angeles on Aug. 4.
The victory, Kennedy told WDCW, was a “whirlwind because I knew it was bigger than me.”
“I knew that it was going to mean a lot for all the LGBTQ kids out there who might feel like they don’t belong in a box — like me growing up,” she explained.
Kennedy said she did not have any anxiety about being the only trans competitor, and said she felt bolstered by the “sisterhood” of women on stage.
“I felt confident in my own skin at 31, which is past the old age limit, which is 28 — as you know Miss Universe Organization lift the restriction now — so every woman of all ages can compete,” she pointed out.
Kennedy added that she “hopes her milestone will open up some doors, open up some hearts for people to see that there are many aspects of LGBT community out there and I hope I can be a positive contribution to society in making a difference like the USO program I’m working with.”
Kennedy was inspired to compete in pageants following her marriage in 2019, according to her website.
“When I turned 30, The Miss Universe Organization lifted the traditional marital status and age restrictions. I knew it was a sign from the Universe that they are ready to crown an older, military spouse like myself,” the write-up explained.
“Although this is such a small effort, I could only imagine the magnitude of my action on a state level, national level or even on the international level if I win the title to represent USA, the beautiful country to which I owe so much,” she added.
In addition to being the first transgender Miss Maryland USA, Kennedy is also the first Asian American winner and the first military spouse to hold the title, according to The Advocate.
The first trans contestant to appear at Miss USA was Kataluna Enriquez, who competed as Miss Nevada USA in 2018, the outlet noted.
“It hasn’t hit me yet. We just made history, and I don’t know how that feels. It was part of my goal, part of my dream,” Enriquez told the Las Vegas Sun in the wake of her history-making win in the state.
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The Maryland Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at April 29, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from April 29 drawing
03-19-35-51-67, Powerball: 15, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 29 drawing
Midday: 8-7-6
Evening: 1-6-1
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 29 drawing
Midday: 0-5-3-3
Evening: 8-2-6-0
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from April 29 drawing
Midday: 9-8-2-9-4
Evening: 6-5-3-0-3
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from April 29 drawing
9 a.m.: 02
1 p.m.: 09
6 p.m.: 11
11 p.m.: 10
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Bonus Match 5 numbers from April 29 drawing
02-12-16-24-31, Bonus: 37
Check Bonus Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from April 29 drawing
07-52-56-67-69, Powerball: 03
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Keno
Drawings are held every four minutes. Check winning numbers here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
Maryland Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes above $600, winners can claim by mail or in person from the Maryland Lottery office, an Expanded Cashing Authority Program location or cashiers’ windows at Maryland casinos. Prizes over $5,000 must be claimed in person.
Claiming by Mail
Sign your winning ticket and complete a claim form. Include a photocopy of a valid government-issued ID and a copy of a document that shows proof of your Social Security number or Federal Tax ID number. Mail these to:
Maryland Lottery Customer Resource Center
1800 Washington Boulevard
Suite 330
Baltimore, MD 21230
For prizes over $600, bring your signed ticket, a government-issued photo ID, and proof of your Social Security or Federal Tax ID number to Maryland Lottery headquarters, 1800 Washington Boulevard, Baltimore, MD. Claims are by appointment only, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This location handles all prize amounts, including prizes over $5,000.
Winning Tickets Worth $25,000 or Less
Maryland Lottery headquarters and select Maryland casinos can redeem winning tickets valued up to $25,000. Note that casinos cannot cash prizes over $600 for non-resident and resident aliens (tax ID beginning with “9”). You must be at least 21 years of age to enter a Maryland casino. Locations include:
- Horseshoe Casino: 1525 Russell Street, Baltimore, MD
- MGM National Harbor: 101 MGM National Avenue, Oxon Hill, MD
- Live! Casino: 7002 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover, MD
- Ocean Downs Casino: 10218 Racetrack Road, Berlin, MD
- Hollywood Casino: 1201 Chesapeake Overlook Parkway, Perryville, MD
- Rocky Gap Casino: 16701 Lakeview Road NE, Flintstone, MD
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Maryland Lottery.
When are the Maryland Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 11 p.m. ET Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5 Midday: 12:27 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, 12:28 p.m. ET Saturday and Sunday.
- Pick 3, 4 and 5 Evening: 7:56 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday, 8:10 p.m. ET on Sunday.
- Cash4Life: 9 p.m. ET daily.
- Cash Pop: 9 a.m., 1 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. daily.
- Bonus Match 5: 7:56 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday, 8:10 p.m. ET on Sunday.
- MultiMatch: 7:56 p.m. Monday and Thursday.
- Powerball Double Play: 11 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Maryland editor. You can send feedback using this form.
A Maryland man was sentenced to nearly two years in federal prison for selling fake nursing licenses, diplomas and transcripts, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Maryland.
Patrick Nwaokwu, 55, of Laurel, was sentenced to 21 months, to be followed by two years of probation for the wire fraud scheme, court officials said.
Under a plea agreement, Nwaokwu admitted to conspiring with others to sell fake nursing diplomas and educational transcripts. He also helped the buyers fraudulently obtain nursing licensures that they needed to get jobs in the healthcare field, according to court documents.
Nwaokwu engaged in the scheme through multiple schools, including a Virginia nursing school and Palm Beach School of Nursing in Florida, court documents show. As a result, Nwaokwu and his partners caused more than $1.5 million in damages.
Fake nursing license scheme
According to court documents, Nwaokwu started conspiring with Musa Bangura, 67, of Manassas, Virginia, in 2018 to recruit potential buyers who were looking to obtain nursing degrees.
He sold the buyers fake documents, which falsely claimed that the buyer had completed the necessary courses and clinical training at nursing school to obtain a degree, court documents said. The nursing schools named on the documents were no longer licensed.
Nwaokwu, Bangura and other co-conspirators backdated the fake documents to make it appear that the buyer attended the school before it lost licensure, according to court documents.
Court documents show that between 2018 and July 2021, Nwaokwu also conspired with Jhanah Napolean, 50, of West Palm Beach County, Florida, and Geralda Adrien, 56, of Broward County, Florida, to sell fake RN and LPN degrees from the Palm Beach School of Nursing to people in Maryland.
Nwaokwu charged about $17,000 for the RN degrees and between $6,000 and $10,000 for LPN degrees, court documents claim.
He allegedly told the buyers to list Palm Beach Nursing School on their National Council Licensure Examination but to leave their graduation date blank so it could be backdated. This would make it seem as though the student graduated from the school before it lost its licensure.
By providing the fake documents, Nwaokwu and his co-conspirators helped buyers obtain fake licenses from state-licensed agencies, including the Maryland Board of Nursing, ultimately helping them gain employment in the field, according to court documents.
The scheme allowed unqualified candidates to apply and practice nursing, exposing patients across the state to potential risk of death, injury or serious harm, court officials said.
Bangura was previously sentenced to 13 months in federal prison for his role in the scheme, according to court officials.
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