Former DC police officer sentenced for involvement in selling victim information to attorneys

WASHINGTON ( DC News Now ) — A former Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) patrol officer was sentenced on Wednesday for his role in a bribery scheme, selling attorneys non-public police information.

Vincent Forrest, 36, will spend over a year and a half behind bars after being found guilty in January on charges of conspiracy, bribery and making false statements.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) stated that in April 2019, Forrest began accessing MPD’s databases to review and record the names and contact information of people involved in traffic accidents.

He then sent the victims’ information to 43-year-old Raquel DePaula, who owned RD Legal Solutions, LLC. DePaula acted as a “runner,” providing the information to local attorneys in exchange for referral fees.

Attorneys would then reach out to the victims within days of their accidents, in violation of D.C. law.

DePaula, according to the USAO, said she paid Forrest $1,200 to $1,800 per week in exchange for the information.

Over the course of the scheme, she paid the former officer over $15,000 and received the contact information for 2,667 traffic crash victims.

DePaula pleaded guilty to one count of bribery of a public official in October 2021. She was sentenced in April to five years of probation.

She and Forrest are two of seven people convicted for illegally selling traffic crash reports. Previously, MPD Officers Walter Lee and Kendra Coles, MPD employee Aaron Willis, business owner Marvin Parker and law firm employee Michelle Cage pleaded guilty to related charges, according to the USAO.

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