Lady Justice
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Former Fairmount Heights Police Officer Philip Dupree received a sentence of six years and two months in federal prison on July 16 for employing excessive force during a traffic stop in 2019 in the District of Columbia, where he used pepper spray on a handcuffed individual who was already secured inside his police vehicle.
Dupree, aged 40, was found guilty by a federal jury in June 2024 of one count of deprivation of rights under color of law, which constitutes a federal civil rights offense. U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly delivered the sentence after a weeklong trial that revealed how Dupree misused his authority and breached departmental regulations.
“This sentence holds accountable a law enforcement officer who violated the civil rights of a defenseless individual,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. “The victim was handcuffed, seated in the officer’s vehicle, and posed no threat. Police brutality has no place in our society.”
Unlawful Stop and Use of Force
The event took place on August 4, 2019, at approximately 2 a.m., when Dupree, who was on duty with the Fairmount Heights Police Department (FHPD), initiated a traffic stop on Eastern Avenue NE — which is located within the District of Columbia, not Maryland, where Dupree had authority.
Court documents reveal that the driver and his sister were on their way home from a family event when Dupree stopped them without justification. The driver, known only as T.S., questioned the legality of the stop. Dupree proceeded to handcuff him, put him in the front seat of his personal vehicle, and subsequently pepper-sprayed him in the face and chest while he remained restrained.
Footage from a body-worn camera (BWC) belonging to a responding officer from the Metropolitan Police Department, along with a video recorded by a witness’s cellphone, confirmed that Dupree failed to activate his own body camera. Additionally, his department vehicle was not utilized during the stop — constituting another breach of policy.
Prosecutors indicated that Dupree also threatened the driver’s sister, brandishing a can of pepper spray at her when she refused to leave the vehicle. Several responding officers from Prince George’s County and MPD chose not to endorse Dupree’s management of the situation, further isolating him and highlighting concerns regarding his behavior.
Falsified Report and Obstruction
Instead of taking the detained driver to the county lock-up as per FHPD protocol, Dupree opted to bring him to the FHPD station, where he remained for several hours before being moved to the county jail. Subsequently, Dupree submitted a false probable cause affidavit, alleging that T.S. had assaulted him — a claim that was refuted by video evidence and witness testimonies.
In August 2022, Dupree was apprehended by FBI agents and subsequently indicted on charges of excessive force and obstruction of justice. He was facing a maximum sentence of 10 years for the civil rights violation and up to 20 years for obstruction. Ultimately, he was convicted solely on the excessive force charge.
“Officers who violate the law and use their badge to harm the people they’re sworn to protect must be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves of the District of Columbia. “This case reflects our commitment to civil rights and public trust.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg echoed that sentiment: “Law enforcement officers swear to protect the people they serve, including those in their custody. Dupree defiled that responsibility and violated a man’s civil rights.”
Dupree’s actions, federal officials said, undermined public trust and discredited the broader law enforcement community. “When an officer unjustly and unreasonably uses force, it tarnishes the reputation of those who serve honorably every day,” Graves added.
The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and prosecuted by Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Howland of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
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