WASHINGTON _ A United States Capitol Police officer has been indicted on 11 charges including rape, child abuse and assault.
The officer, William Wright, 46, his 67-year-old father, Joshua Wright, and his 40-year-old brother-in-law, Donald Jackson, sexually abused four females between the ages of 15 and 18 from 2001 to 2008 who were involved in an at-risk youth program the men ran at a church in Fort Washington, Md., police have said.
The charges were filed Tuesday in Prince George's County district court in Maryland.
As well as wearing the Capitol Police uniform, William Wright is a minister at Oxon Hill Assembly of Jesus Christ, where his father Joshua is the head pastor and where the men ran the program where they allegedly raped or abused the four victims.
The Wrights and Jackson abused the victims at parks, at the suspects' homes, and at the church, police have said.
The program's leaders provided shelter and food at their homes and classes at the church for at-risk young people.
The USCP placed Wright in a "nonduty status" after learning of the indictments.
"The United States Capitol Police takes this situation and the charges brought against William J. Wright, III, very seriously," USCP spokeswoman Eva Malecki said in a statement.
"Upon notification of the investigation by the Prince George's County Police, the Department immediately placed him in a nonduty status. As this is an ongoing investigation, the USCP will continue to monitor the outcome of this matter in Prince George's County, and will have no further comment."
