DC Police Officer Sentenced in Bribery Scheme

Officer Sold Confidential Crash Information to Tow Truck Operator

A former Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer was sentenced in federal court on Thursday, August 28, 2024, for his role in a bribery scheme [1].

The Conviction

Vincent Forrest, 36, pleaded guilty in April 2024 to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and one count of bribery [2]. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison, two years of supervised release, and a $5,000 fine [3].

The Scheme

According to court documents, Forrest sold confidential crash information to a tow truck operator in exchange for cash bribes [4]. The bribes ranged from $50 to $300 per crash [5].

Forrest used his position as a patrol officer to access the MPD's crash database [6]. He would then provide the tow truck operator with the names, addresses, and phone numbers of crash victims [7].

The tow truck operator would use this information to contact the victims and offer his services [8]. In some cases, the tow truck operator would charge inflated prices for his services [9].

The Investigation

The investigation was conducted by the FBI's Washington Field Office and the MPD's Internal Affairs Division [10].

The Sentencing

U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden imposed the sentence [11].

In a statement, U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves said, "This defendant abused his position as a police officer for personal gain. His actions undermined the public's trust in law enforcement and will not be tolerated." [12]