Without issuing any warning or command, defendant Villanueva moved swiftly towards victim 1 and punched victim 1 in the face, the indictment states. . You're all set! When that trust is violated, it makes it more difficult for our fellow police officers and federal agents to maintain the communitys confidence.. Those cops beat the living sh** out of Rodney King, and those cops overstepped their bounds. A Trenton police officer and a former colleague accused of assaulting a man they were arresting have pleaded not guilty to civil rights and obstruction of justice counts. When that trust is violated, it makes it more difficult for our fellow police officers and federal agents to maintain the community's confidence.. He is also charged with additional civil rights and obstruction counts in connection to a separate incident in November 2017. Villanueva filed 14 use-of-force reports in a two-year period, higher than the statewide average of 4.1 use-of-force reports per officer over a five-year period, according to NJ.coms reporting on statewide use-of-force records. Villanueva and Inman appeared in federal court Tuesday. Citations Copy Citation. Inman and Villanueva returned to the police station to prepare reports in connection with the victims arrest. Body cam footage was released of two Trenton Police officers who are accused of assaulting a man while they were arresting him even though he complied with their demands. Anthony Villanueva leaves the federal courthouse in Trenton in this April 2019 file photo. However, the lawsuit painted Singletary as a blameless victim. The man was eventually surrounded by the officers and complied when he was ordered to put his hands in the air, officials said. It isn't entirely clear what is happening in the third video, which was shot from a distance. Villanueva appealed his firing to the states Office of Administrative Law (OAL), which in May 2019, following testimony against him from fellow officers, upheld the termination. They also took Officer Inman into custody at Trenton police headquarters. The Singletary incident was included in a federal civil rights case the U.S. Attorneys Office brought against Villanueva and Trenton police officer Drew Inman. Video of the incident showed Singletary strolling unaccompanied down the hall leading to the jail cells and entering the cell. The video appeared to show Singletary slapping Villanuevas hand away from the phone. The maximum fine for each of the charges is $250,000. Have a question about Government Services? He was assisted that night by a police aide (the aide). 3/5/2023 6529843 reed anthony 3/5/2023 6391927 reyes ignacio 3/5/2023 6553956 rodriguez jonatan 3/5/2023 6547498 salinas ricardo . Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Washington jumped into the canal and swam to the opposite bank, climbing up a steep, brush-lined embankment near a parking lot. Family members and supporters sat stoically at the back of the courtroom; they declined to comment on the governments case against their loved ones, letting the attorneys to the talking after the hearing. It aint no joke. If you encounter them, you need to promptly notify your [attorneys]. Aerotek Mark Anthony Villanueva Surrounded by police officers, Washington complied when told to raise his hands, according to authorities. Official websites use .gov Div. Villanuevas attorney, Jerome Ballarotto, insists his client didnt punch the man however. The incident was caught on body camera. TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) -- Two Trenton police officers are now in trouble with the law. We will have problems if you do.. Both defendants are charged with one count aiding and abetting one another to deprive a man of his civil rights. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Villanueva and Inman were among this group. The charges carry up to 10 and 20 years in prison, respectively, and a maximum $250,000 fine if the cops are convicted, the feds said. TRENTON A Trenton police officer and a former colleague accused of assaulting a man during an arrest have pleaded not guilty to civil rights violations and obstruction of justice charges. You already receive all suggested Justia Opinion Summary Newsletters. I snuck up from behind him and just punched him, he just fell, Villanueva says, mocking Felton by quoting him, You didnt got to punch me man.. The Trenton Police Department has punished a number of officers accused of conduct unbecoming a public servant since the turn of the century, culminating with the recent firing of patrol. At no point during this encounter with the defendant did the plaintiff strike, attempt to strike, or intend to strike any of the defendant police officers or any other officer or the law, the lawsuit said. Get free summaries of new New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division - Unpublished Opinions opinions delivered to your inbox! More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. California residents do not sell my data request. The public has an absolute right to trust that law enforcement will protect those they serve and keep them safe. The man tells the officers, Stop hitting me in my face.". Villanuevas charges also related to his macing of a suspect in police lockup in 2017, according to the six-count indictment. Theres no evidence that he was punched at that side of his face.. A lock ( Lock I believe that if my client gets a fair hearing he wont be charged.. Attorney Robin Lord is seeing her client Chanzie Washington's claims of police brutality vindicated. Its inbred in internal affairs. Villanueva was fired in June 2018 and was in the process of fighting to get his job back. As Singletary headed toward his cell and the door closed behind him, the cop sprayed him with the stinging mace, affecting nearby prisoners. While the man was complying with further police commands, Villanueva approached the man and punched him in the face and Inman tackled the man to the ground. Inman, who was creeping from behind, tackled Washington to the ground as both officers repeatedly punched him while he screamed out in pain, Stop hitting me in the face, and youve got my hands, according to the indictment. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Villanueva was fired by Trenton police last summer for an alleged pattern of excessive force. The false records counts each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. All Rights Reserved. As the cell door began to close and was almost shut, Villanueva sprayed the chemical agent inside. That case is pending in federal court. A number of officers went around to the other side of the fence, including one officer equipped with a body camera. They are accused of assaulting a man during a traffic stop in 2017. "In this situation, he did not elect to draw his weapon, it stayed in the holster and he brought the guy down to the ground and handcuffed him," Ballarotto said. The violation of civil rights counts each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Date published: Jan 28, 2021. Villanueva stated he intended to charge Q.S. Search the most comprehensive statewide database of police use of force in the U.S. Villanueva filed a written report later that night setting forth his account of what happened next. You dont want to come back here. The indictment describes the assault like this: Victim 2 walked calmly, unescorted, into a cell denoted in Trenton Police Department records as Cell 7, and the door to Cell 7 began to close behind him, locking him in. Each man did not speak other than to acknowledge the judge when she advised them of their right to remain silent. Investigators say Inman and Villanueva prepared and submitted false and fraudulent reports in order to justify their actions and portray the man as the aggressor and an ongoing threat. Kieffer III, the son of Capt. They punched him numerous times while Washington cried out, stop hitting me, and youve got my hands.. Sign up for NewsOne's email newsletter! Former Trenton police officer Anthony Villanueva, left, when he graduated from the police academy in a 2015 file photo, and Trenton police officer Drew Inman, right, at his graduation. Mark Kieffer Jr., was not charged in the indictment and not mentioned by name. Incidents like these erode the publics confidence in law enforcement, and make policing harder for everyone whose job it is to keep our communities safe., Civil Rights violations are of great concern, particularly when the allegations involve a member of law enforcement, FBI Newark Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie said. Thats what the video shows. Former officer Anthony Villanueva and current officer Drew Inman appeared in federal court Tuesday afternoon. The arresting departments are noted: Coweta County Sheriff's Office (CCSO), Chattahoochee Hills Police Department (CHPD . Trenton, NJ. First published on April 23, 2019 / 6:49 PM. Villanueva also faces charges in connection to another incident in which he allegedly pepper sprayed a defendant in a holding cell. The video includes body cameras from three officers, but not from Villanueva or Inman. The former officer, Anthony Villanueva, was. But there was no long struggle, the OAL judge found. Villanueva maced Singletary while he was inside a cell after a dustup that started when, the cop claimed, Singletary refused to get off the phone. Swung his arm around his neck and brought him to the ground, he said. I feel that although [the arrests] are a positive step toward change, its too little too late, she said. Trenton Police department was aware of the the investigation and cooperated fully with federal authorities. FBI arrests Trenton police officer at TPD, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), FBI arrests Trenton police officer at TPD headquarters in excessive force investigation, Fox News scandal, cable news, and how gullible we all are (JEFF EDELTSTEIN COLUMN), Tales of El Moreno in Puriscal Costa Rica (L.A. 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Trenton, GA Cureton , Phillip Lebron 2/15/1977 9846 W Ridge Trail Rd - Soddy Daisy, TN Curington , Jessica Lee 9/28/1979 Incidents like these erode the publics confidence in law enforcement, and make policing harder for everyone whose job it is to keep our communities safe., FBI Newark Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie called the cops actions a violation of trust., Civil rights violations are of great concern, particularly when the allegations involve a member of law enforcement, he said in a statement. April 23, 2019 / 6:49 PM be arrested and re-processed. A Trenton police officer and a former colleague accused of assaulting a man they were arresting have both been charged with obstruction of justice and violating the man's civil rights Skip to content Sunday, December 25, 2022 An official website of the United States government. "It's perfectly proper the way he handled himself," Villanueva's attorney, Jerome Ballarotto, said. Personally, its devastating to him, Hes got a family. (VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED). Quaree Singletary engaged in a struggle with city cop Anthony Villanueva after Villanueva abruptly ended Singletary's phone call to relatives. In November 2017, Villanueva fired a can of chemical spray at Quaree Singletary inside a Trenton police holding cell while the cell door was closing, and then 24-year-old Singletary was inside. Washington ran from police during a traffic stop and when officers caught up with him at a fence, they ordered him to raise his arms and then climb over the fence, authorities allege. The man who the officers arrested is no longer in jail and his eluding and obstruction charges were later dropped. Villanueva, who was eventually fired by the city department and is fighting to get his job back, had been pulled off the streets and re-assigned to lockup following a separate altercation months before with Chanzie Washington. Trenton Police Officer Drew Inman and ex-officer Anthony Villanueva are accused of assaulting a man who was complying with their demands. 11 Powerful Images At The Womens March 2018, Your email will be shared with newsone.com and subject to its, Every Receipt Proving Candace Owens Is A Con Artist Who Is Following The Money, Celebrating The Black History Of Memorial Day, Never Forget: Obamas Tan Suit Media Firestorm Was 7 Years Ago Today. They cannot travel outside of the U.S., must surrender passports and firearms and avoid contact with victims and witnesses in the case, and with each other, when theyre outside the presence of their attorneys. Body cam footage obtained by NBC10 shows the man on the ground and crying out in pain while officers are on top of him. FAX:973-645-2702 One of the officers, who has since left the Trenton Police Department, is charged with additional civil rights and obstruction counts for allegedly assaulting a second defendant while in a holding cell at Trenton Police Headquarters. Inman and Kieffer III are white and Villanueva is Hispanic. Mar. Officer Drew Inman and former city Officer Anthony Villanueva entered their pleas Wednesday during their arraignments in federal court. . ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. The counts against both officers stem from a traffic stop on April 9, 2017, in Trenton. The arrest of Inman happened a day after the city introduced new police director Sheilah Coley. This is not a Rodney King situation, he said. All rights reserved (About Us). He was a good cop and still is a good cop., In a statement, U.S. attorney Craig Carpenito said cops have a difficult and dangerous, job but must perform their duties while respecting the civil rights of the people they are policing. Please enter valid email address to continue. According toTrentonian,the Trenton Police Department is setting up the Hispanic cop, Officer Anthony Villanueva, as the sole fall guy and Villanueva was placed on restricted duty within a week, but Inman remained on the streets for more than a month before being placed on restriction. As of last month,Villanueva was suspended without pay. An anonymous cop from the department toldTrentonian that the police department is painting Anthony as the villain., Villanueva has hired an attorney who said,Ive already made plans to defend him on these charges, but theres no sense putting on my battle gear before the battle starts. Inman then charged at Washington and tackled him from behind, and joined Villanueva in repeatedly punching Washington in the face, according to the indictment against them. The FBI was investigating Inman, former TPD officer Anthony Villanueva, and Mark Kieffer III in connection with the April 2017 arrest of Chanzie Washington. _____ Submitted January 12, 2021 - Decided Before Judges Haas, Mawla, and Natali. Man In Easter Bunny Suit Involved In Florida Brawl Wanted In New Jersey For Car Burglaries. To justify their actions, authorities said Inman and Villanueva prepared false and fraudulent reports in which they portrayed Washington as the aggressor and an ongoing threat. I know its a small community, the judge told the defendants. Like our content? If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Ballarotto said his client is being unfairly vilified as a rogue cop, and he believes the ex-TPDer will get cleared. To justify their actions against the victim, Inman and Villanueva prepared and submitted false and fraudulent reports, in which they attempted to portray the victim as the aggressor and an ongoing threat. Hearing Impaired: 856-968-4983 The former officer, Anthony Villanueva, was indicted by federal government for the 2017 incident on accusations he deprived the man of his civil rights. "It's a question of respect. A Trenton police officer and a former colleague accused of assaulting a man they were arresting have pleaded not guilty to civil rights and obstruction of justice counts. Trenton Police Officer Drew Inman, 25, of Hamilton, New Jersey, and former Trenton Police Officer Anthony Villanueva, 25, of Ewing, New Jersey, are charged in a six-count indictment that was returned by a federal grand jury on April 18, 2019, and unsealed today. Its inbred in the academy. Accountability starts from the top.. Villanuevas lawyer said the only people who should be happy about the charges are gang members, gun carriers, and drug sellers. TRENTON, NJ - Two Trenton police officers have been arrested by federal agents and charged with assault and obstruction of justice, authorities announced on Tuesday. And then you have the old regime supervising these people. The appropriate departmental administrative actions will be taken, he said. The only way to eradicate the excessive abuse in the Trenton police department is by firing them all and starting all over again, she said. Investigators said he pepper sprayed a defendant while in a holding cell area of Trenton police headquarters. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Authorities say the driver involved in the stop fled in his vehicle and then on foot as officers pursued. Michigan Department of Corrections via AP Law enforcement officials on Tuesday named Anthony Dwayne McRae, a 43-year-old resident of Lansing, Michigan, as the suspect in the overnight shooting at Michigan State University that took the lives of three students and wounded five others. Villanueva was assigned to TPD lockup after. All Rights Reserved. That came one day after they made their initial court appearances and were each released on $50,000 bail. Docket #: 1879852 Defendant: CHANDLER , ANTHONY Charge: DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE Arresting Officer: MORTON, STONEY #012, Complaint #: A 029285G 2022 Arrest Date: 7/3/2022 Presiding Judge: ABLES, LARRY Division: 3 Court Room: 3 CJUS8023 Hamilton County General Sessions Court - Criminal Division Trial Docket 3/1/2023 Page No: 3 ar_Master_Docket They cannot resort to excessive force in performing their duties. He only had three things. Body cam video acquired by The Trentonian shows an officer, seemingly unprovoked, punch Washington in the head and tackle Washington to the ground, where he was punched even more. In re Villanueva. TRENTON City police officer Drew Inman was arrested Tuesday morning by the FBI as part of an investigation targeting former and current officers over allegations of use of excessive force. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The lawsuit, brought by attorneys Robin Lord and Clifford Bidlingmaier, was filed in state court March 29, more than a year after Singletarys encounter with the troubled ex-cop. Singletary and his attorneys may be banking on power in numbers. When the police caught him, Washington was brought to the ground, and was then punched several times by three different police officers: Drew Inman, Antony Villanueva andMark Kieffer III. Inmans lawyer has declined to comment. A New Jersey appeals court has affirmed the 2018 firing of a Trenton police officer terminated for pepper spraying a suspect inside a jail cell. Police work is difficult and dangerous, but officers need to respect the civil rights of the people they are policing, U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Inman and Villanueva then punched the man numerous times, while he cried out in pain, and told officers, stop hitting me in my face, and youve got my hands.. Villanueva claimed Singletary assaulted him during a phone call from jail, then had a long struggle to get him back in a jail cell and handcuffed, forcing him to use pepper spray. Villanueva has several other issues pending from his four years on the Trenton police force, which all occurred in 2017. TPD Officer Drew Inman, center, was caught on tape punching a suspect in the face while other cops placed him in cuffs. Villanueva grabbed a bottle of mace from the detention area. They cannot resort to excessive force in performing their duties. Villanueva and Inman, their hands shackled in front of them, appeared Tuesday afternoon before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Tonianne J. Bongiovanni. Sitting next to their attorneys, they remained quiet as U.S. assistant attorney Joseph Gribko briefly recapped the case against them. Katz & Dougherty, LLC, attorneys for appellant Anthony Villanueva (George T. Dougherty , on the briefs). The charges and accusations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and Inman and Villanueva are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Villanueva arrested Felton in March 2017 following a foot pursuit following a reported shooting. Attorneys Molly Lorber, Joseph Gribko and Ray Mateo of the U.S. Attorney=s Office Criminal Division in Trenton in the criminal case. Villanueva went back to headquarters to help process Washington. That decision was then adopted by the states Civil Service Commission. A locked padlock Marielle Franco, Radical Black Female Politician, Executed In Brazil, Megachurch Pastor Says Believing Jesus Is The Only Way To Heaven Is Insanity, 'Dilbert' Comic Creator Calls Black People A 'Hate Group,' Urges Segregation So Whites Can 'Escape', Bernie Mac Show Star Camille Winbush Is Not Ashamed Of Joining OnlyFans, Kyle Rittenhouse Faces 2nd Civil Lawsuit, Continues To Beg For Money From His Supporters, Ben Stein's 'Aunt Jemima' Rant Is A Master Class On White Privilege, Why Did tWitch Kill Himself? Officers try to subdue Quaree Singletary during a lengthy struggle in police lockup. provided by mercer county prosecutors office, Chanzie Washington's mugshot after being arrested April 9, 2017. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Villanueva, who was standing on the same side of the chain-link fence, suddenly appeared out of nowhere, the feds alleged. Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood. All the gun-toting drug dealers in Trenton are all gonna be happy tonight that Anthonys no longer a police officer, Ballarotto said. Ballarotto plans to hire a police expert to testify that the officer's physicality was within the law. EXCLUSIVE: Ex-Valley Forge Military Academy Cadet Speaks To CBS3 About Alleged Verbal, Physical Abuse At Hands Of Students.

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