Secret Service Officer Arrested In Prostitution Sting

Washington, D.C. (WUSA) -- A Secret Service officer was arrested early Saturday during a prostitution sting conducted by D.C. police in Northwest.

Inspector Brian Bray, commander of Metropolitan Police Department's Narcotics and Special Investigations Division (NSID), says his squad was conducting a prostitution sting in the area of 11th and K Sts NW around 12:50 a.m. when a marked Secret Service Uniformed Division patrol car stopped to speak with an undercover female officer who was posing as a prostitute.

The patrol car was driven by a Uniformed Division sergeant who was in uniform. Insp. Bray said the NSID officers assumed he was going to tell the undercover female officer to leave the area.

But the sergeant allegedly engaged the female officer in dialog, mentioned how attractive she was, and inquired about what sex acts she would perform. They agreed on a price of $20 and he drove around the corner to meet with her.

That is when he was arrested by D.C. police officers. The sergeant was taken to the 1st District police station where he was processed and charged with solicitation for the purpose of prostitution. Insp. Bray says that is a misdemeanor.

Insp. Bray added that this area is frequented by prostitutes. D.C. police have been successful making arrests in the neighborhood and that is one reason why they were working it early Saturday morning.

Darrin Blackford, Secret Service spokesman, said the incident is being investigated by the Secret Service Inspection Division which is the agency's internal affairs division.

The majority of the 1,200 Uniformed Division officers are assigned to guard the White House complex. But Uniformed Division officers are also assigned to the vice president's residence and the Foreign Missions Branch, which protects embassies and missions in the Washington area.

Blackford says the officer, whose name has not yet been released, has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.