Police Chief in D.C. Suburb Arrested

AP | 9/26/03

[kattracks]

SEAT PLEASANT, Md., Sep 26, 2003 (AP Online via COMTEX) -- The police chief of a small Washington, D.C., suburb was charged with taking pornographic photos of a boy in a junior police program and coercing the boy to have sex.

Chief Ronald C. Forrest, 39, was arrested Thursday, and is being held without bond pending an appearance Friday afternoon in U.S. District Court, according to an FBI affidavit.

The FBI said a woman who knew Forrest obtained a photo album containing pornographic images of underage males from Forrest's home in Clinton and gave it to agents earlier this month. The woman said she recognized some boys in the photos as participants in Forrest's mentoring program, the affidavit said.

She also told the FBI that Forrest would occasionally pick up program participants and have them spend the night at his home, according to the affidavit.

Forrest has an unlisted home telephone number, and the police department referred all questions to the office of Mayor Eugene F. Kennedy, who did not immediately return a call Friday seeking comment.

The police department in Seat Pleasant, a town of about 5,000 residents, has about a dozen officers and staff.

One of the boys in the photos, now 15, told the FBI he repeatedly declined Forrest's request to take pictures of him. However, he said he agreed in 2000 after Forrest offered to pay him $50 or $80, according to the affidavit.

He also said Forrest performed oral sex on him around the time the photos were taken. He told agents he was 12 or 13 years old at the time. The teenager also said he spent a week at Forrest's home in July.

Forrest faces charges of interstate transport of a minor to make a sexually explicit image, enticing a child to travel across state lines to have sex and interstate transportation of a minor with the intent to have sex.

[helper]

LOL

[Pagey]

A Police Chief in a D.C. suburb.Sheesh, can't someone just go get a wood-chipper and be done with people like this?

[helper]

Told you so, just read that a judge let him out to the custody of his brother on home detention. Newspaper said he is facing 45 years.

Now I ask you, do you give someone facing 45 years H/D, or does he know he's not likely to do any real time?

That's justice in Maryland.

[tracer]

Look on the bright side. This fine LEO now has the opportunity to eat his Glock. Not so in the slammer....

[helper]

I do look at the bright side, I am in VA where he would still be in jail, and wouldn't get out for many years. I just think Marylanders should be tired of this kind of justice.

[johnny7]

Uh oh.

[oust the louse]

If my son were one of the ones being photographed I would make it my lifes mission to find out where this brother lived and pay the perv a visit.(with a few of my friends...if you know what I mean)

[tracer]

We now have a Republican governor. Perhaps things will begin to change....

[helper]

Yep, but you have the same problem Arnold will have, a Dem legislature, stuck in the mud.