WASHINGTON D.C. – A former Maryland cop will spend the next six years and two months behind bars after a federal jury found him guilty of turning a routine traffic stop into a brutal assault. Philip Dupree, 40, formerly of the Fairmount Heights, Maryland Police Department, received a 74-month sentence today in U.S. District Court for violating the civil rights of a man he’d already handcuffed.
The jury convicted Dupree on June 17, 2024, of one count of deprivation of rights under color of law. U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly didn’t just stop at prison time, tacking on an additional three years of supervised release after Dupree serves his sentence. This isn’t about a split-second decision in a chaotic situation; it’s about a sworn officer deliberately escalating force on a compliant detainee.
According to court documents, Dupree was on duty during the early morning hours of August 4, 2019, when he pulled over a vehicle on Eastern Avenue NE, in the District of Columbia. After detaining the driver and his sister, Dupree, for reasons that remain disturbingly unclear, unleashed a blast of pepper spray directly into the driver’s face – while the man was already handcuffed and seated *inside* Dupree’s patrol car. The jury didn’t buy Dupree’s defense; they saw it for what it was: unprovoked brutality.
“When the defendant used unnecessary and excessive force on a man in handcuffs, he violated his duty and betrayed his oath to serve and protect,” declared U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “The Court’s sentence serves as a stark reminder that members of law enforcement must not break the faith with the communities we all serve.” This case isn’t an isolated incident; it’s a symptom of a deeper rot within some police departments, where accountability is often traded for a ‘blue wall of silence.’
Federal officials are sending a clear message. “Our government requires police officers to abide by the laws they enforce and to protect the constitutional rights of all persons in their custody,” stated Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division. “Dupree abused his authority as a police officer, and today Dupree was held accountable for his actions.” The FBI’s Washington Field Office spearheaded the investigation, proving that even officers who believe they’re above the law can face consequences.
Steven J. Jensen, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, added, “Law enforcement officers have a duty to enforce the laws while protecting the rights of those they serve. Today’s sentence underscores this responsibility and demonstrates the FBI’s resolve to pursue public servants who abuse their positions of power and trust.” The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Howland of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Case number: 22cr275.
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Key Facts
- State: Washington DC
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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