Former Hero Officer Charged With Raping Women

By DAVID CHANG and DANIELLE JOHNSON
NBC Philadelphia
May. 20, 2013

A former Philadelphia police officer once hailed as a hero and given a seat next to the first lady at a speech by President Obama has been arrested and charged with raping two women and other crimes.

A source tells NBC10 former officer Richard DeCoatsworth, 27, met one of the women two weeks ago and forced her into prostitution at a local hotel. Between Thursday and Friday, DeCoatsworth went to the woman's home in the Fishtown-Kensington area where there was a party, according to the source. Once they arrived, police say DeCoatsworth forced that woman and a second woman, both in their 20s, to use drugs and perform oral sex on him, according to the source.

Police raided DeCoatsworth's house on the 2700 block of Salmon Street in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia around 6:30 a.m. on Saturday. He was arrested and charged with rape, sexual assault, terroristic threats and related offenses. Police also confiscated drugs and guns from the home, according to a source. No word yet on what kind of drugs were removed from the home.

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