DeCoatsworth
Former Philadelphia police officer Richard DeCoatsworth, who was once hailed as a hero, is being held on $60 million bail after being charged with rape, sexual assault, terroristic threats and related offenses. Philadelphia Police Department

A former police officer, who was hailed as a hero and sat next to first lady Michelle Obama during a presidential speech, has been charged with rape.

Richard DeCoatsworth, 27, allegedly left a party on Thursday with two women. When they arrived at a second location, he reportedly pulled a gun on them and forced them to take drugs and perform oral sex on him at gunpoint, NBC-TV10 in Philadelphia reports.

DeCoatsworth was charged with rape, sexual assault, terroristic threats and related offenses. He's being held on $60 million bail – one of the highest set bails in Philadelphia history.

“I am scared to be saying this now but I hope he stays where he is at, he has been a thorn in the side of this neighborhood for so long,” one of DeCoatsworth’s neighbors told NBC Philadelphia.

DeCoatsworth was seen as a hero in 2007 after he managed to subdue an attacker who shot him in the face. The incident occurred while the rookie officer was following a car he believed to be suspicious. After the passengers left the vehicle, DeCoatsworth followed them and was shot in the face.

He briefly lost eyesight.

“Bleeding from the face, DeCoatsworth chased the perpetrator on foot for nearly two blocks. The officer returned fire and put out flash information on the subject during the pursuit, before he finally collapsed," the White House said in statement praising his heroic act.

In 2009, Vice President Joe Biden invited DeCoatsworth to attend the president’s televised address to Congress, where he sat next to the first lady, the Associated Press reported.

Later that year, DeCoatsworth’s faced criticism after he was involved in two on-duty shootings. In April 2009, he shot a man who lunged for his gun. His backup officer then shot and killed the suspect. In September, he shot a motorcyclist in the leg who allegedly charged at the officers on the bike, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

DeCoatsworth left the force in December 2011 on disability. Some in the Philedelphia Police Department said he has been troubled for some time.

"I hate to say it, but I did see something like this coming," an officer, who wished to remain nameless, told the Philadelphia Inquirer.