Richard DeCoatsworth Credit: PPD
A former Philadelphia police officer who was once called a hero and given a seat next to Michelle Obama at a speech by the president pled guilty today to charges arising form an incident where he forced two women at gunpoint to use heroin and perform oral sex on him.
Richard DeCoatsworth, of Port Richmond, pled guilty to charges of promoting prostitution, simple assault and distributing heroin, but avoided more serious charges of rape, NBC reported. His sentencing date was set for March.
Police said that DeCoatsworth, 28, left a party with two women in May and took them to another location, where he pulled out a handgun and “forced the two females to engage in the use of narcotics and sexual acts.”
The two women called police after he left.
DeCoatsworth was hailed as a hero in 2007 after he was shot in the face with a shotgun during a traffic stop but still was able to chase down the suspects as they fled.
DeCoatsworth was invited by Vice President Joe Biden to attend the president’s televised February 2009 address to Congress and sat with First Lady Michelle Obama. DeCoatsworth retired from the department on disability in December 2011.
