BALTIMORE — A former Maryland police officer previously found guilty of having sex with a teenage girl in custody faces more legal trouble, this time in the federal system.
In February 2023 Martique Vanderpool was sentenced to three-years behind bars in state prison.
He wasconvicted of having sex with a teen girl he pulled over and arrested, but acquitted of first and second degree rape.
Vanderpool was a member of the Fairmount Heights Police Department back in September 2019, when he pulled the girl over in Capitol Heights.
She claimed to be picking up her son who was involved in a crash. Turns out the teen didn't own the vehicle and only had a learner's permit.
Vanderpool ordered the teen out of the car causing her to have an emptional breakdown. Another officer then put handcuffs on and took her back to the police station.
At the same time Vanderpool had her car towed.
Once at the station Vanderpool un-cuffed the girl, telling her to "make it right."
After having sex, Vanderpool took her to the tow yard to get the vehicle back.
Now the U.S. Department of Justice is involved, alleging Vanderpool lied on a police report about the chain of events that day, all in an effort to protect himself from criminal liability.
Last week U.S. District Court Judge Deborah Boardman, in Maryland, found Vanderpool guilty of obstructing justice by falsifying a police report.
"The report purposely omitted that the officers took the young woman from the scene to the police station; that Vanderpool had sex with her; and that the officers caused the car to be towed and later coordinated the release of the car to her," the DOJ said in a release. "The report also purposely misstated that the car was returned to the registered owner."
Vanderpool is scheduled to be sentenced February 20. He faces up to 20 years in prison.
His partner at the time, Phillip Dupree, was recently convicted in an unrelated case of excessive force violating a citizen's civil rights.
