Secure .gov websites use HTTPS 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). Search the most comprehensive statewide database of police use of force in the U.S. 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. Sign up for NewsOne's email newsletter! 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. Without issuing any warning or command, defendant Villanueva moved swiftly towards victim 1 and punched victim 1 in the face, the indictment states. Footage from the incident that was obtained by The Trentonian via public records request can be seen below. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On April 9, 2017, a Trenton man involved in a routine traffic stop fled in his vehicle and then on foot and was pursued by Trenton police officers. Suicide Note Revealed After Shocking Death, Indicted! The man was eventually surrounded by Trenton police officers and complied when he was ordered to put his hands in the air. All say they were beaten up by Villanueva. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Officer Anthony Villanueva sprays Quaree Singletary with mace during a lengthy struggle in TPD lockup. Villanueva also faces charges in connection to another incident in which he allegedly pepper sprayed a defendant in a holding cell. They are charged with violating Washington's civil rights and falsifying police. The arresting departments are noted: Coweta County Sheriff's Office (CCSO), Chattahoochee Hills Police Department (CHPD . They cannot resort to excessive force in performing their duties. He was assisted that night by a police aide (the aide). 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. Officers try to subdue Quaree Singletary during a lengthy struggle in police lockup. Both Inman and Villanueva were granted unsecured bail on Tuesday, meaning they can go home. "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. Villanueva wore all black, his lean frame topped by a mop of curly jet black hair. When that trust is violated, it makes it more difficult for our fellow police officers and federal agents to maintain the community's confidence.. As I reached for the phone, Singletary smacked my hand out of the way.. Thats his gun, his physical strength and his courage.. Enter the name of a police department or an officer: Press to expand search. The Newnan Times-Herald. Villanueva was fired by the police department, and is the subject of three excessive force lawsuits, according to The Trentonian. The charges against both men stem from an April 2017 traffic stop in Trenton. The federal case against them was initially scheduled for trial in 2020, but has been repeatedly postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. TPD Officer Drew Inman, center, was caught on tape punching a suspect in the face while other cops placed him in cuffs. Ballarotto plans to hire a police expert to testify that the officer's physicality was within the law. Inmans lawyer has declined to comment. An official website of the United States government. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Villanuevas attorney, Jerome Ballarotto, insists his client didnt punch the man however. At no time during this encounter did the plaintiff harass, or threaten the defendants, nor engage in any conduct, which in any way justified the excessive force used by defendants.. The unsecured bonds didnt require the cops or their families to plunk down cash or property to secure their releases, but they are required to show up for arraignment Wednesday morning. Not for Publication Without the Approval of The Appellate Division In a rare interview with a former cop still facing criminal charges for alleged use of excessive force, NJ Advance Media spoke to Villanueva who said he stands by his actions and followed his training and New Jersey Attorney Generals guidelines on the use of force each time. TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) -- Two Trenton police officers are now in trouble with the law. Villanueva, who was standing on the same side of the chain-link fence, suddenly appeared out of nowhere, the feds alleged. They cannot resort to excessive force in performing their duties. U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Jersey, Two Trenton Police Officers Charged with Civil Rights Violations, Obstruction of Justice, U.S. Attorneys Office Reaches Settlement with Ocean County Nail Salon to End Disability Discrimination, Statement Of U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger, Former Hillsborough Township School District Official Admits To Paying Kickbacks For Illegal Overtime Payments, Two Trenton Police Officers Charged With Civil Rights Violations, Obstruction of Justice. The former officer, Anthony Villanueva, was indicted by federal government for the 2017 incident on accusations he deprived the man of his civil rights. TPD officers were on the other side waiting for Washington, who immediately gave himself up and raised his hands in the air, the indictment says. The man was eventually surrounded by the officers and complied when he was ordered to put his hands in the air, officials said. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. He was also seen walking coming down the hall shaking the pepper spray as he approached Singletarys cell. Her first official day isnt till May 1. Both men are charged with aiding and abetting one another to deprive a man of his civil rights. Singletary and his attorneys may be banking on power in numbers. Villanueva, 25, of Ewing, and Inman, 25, of Hamilton, are both charged with one count of aiding and abetting one another to deprive a man of his civil rights. On Nov. 28, 2017, Villanueva pepper sprayed a prisoner who was confined to a holding cell at Trenton Police Headquarters, according to authorities. Singletary, who also sued Villanueva and the department over his treatment that day, told the newspaper in a previous interview his eyes burned for like two, three days after he was maced. Villanueva is charged with two counts of obstruction while Inman is charged with one count of obstruction in connection to the incident. Body cam footage obtained by NBC10 shows the man on the ground and crying out in pain while officers are on top of him. As I reached for the phone, Singletary smacked my hand out of the way.. 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. Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Med. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. Hearing Impaired: 856-968-4983 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. District of New Jersey Badge, gun, diamond ring: Mercer County Police Academy graduation - nj The FBI was investigating Inman, former TPD officer Anthony Villanueva, and Mark Kieffer III in connection with the April 2017 arrest of Chanzie Washington. Please enter valid email address to continue. EXCLUSIVE: Ex-Valley Forge Military Academy Cadet Speaks To CBS3 About Alleged Verbal, Physical Abuse At Hands Of Students. Singletary, who is no stranger to cops having been arrested multiple times, told The Trentonian in a previous interview he remembered asking Villanueva why he ended his call. The man who the officers arrested is no longer in jail and his eluding and obstruction charges were later dropped. We will have problems if you do.. It burns. Scott Krasny, Inmans attorney, declined to comment. Villanueva arrested Felton in March 2017 following a foot pursuit following a reported shooting. Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood. Officer Drew Inman and former city Officer Anthony Villanueva entered their pleas Wednesday during their arraignments in federal court. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Third excessive force suit brought against ex-Trenton cop Anthony All Rights Reserved. Its inbred in the academy. In the second incident, Villanueva is charged with depriving a man of his civil rights and obstruction of justice. 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. Man In Easter Bunny Suit Involved In Florida Brawl Wanted In New Jersey For Car Burglaries. Stephen Varn, who is serving as acting police director while Lt. Chris Doyle is on vacation, confirmed Inmans arrest at TPD headquarters. FAX:973-645-2702 The lawsuit faults Parrey, who is no longer police director, for not flagging Villanuevas pattern of unreasonable force.. On November 28, 2017, Villanueva was on duty at the Trenton Police Department Detention Center. My eyes burned for like two, three days.. The city of Trenton police officers, the majority of them, do not have any respect for the citizens, they just absolutely do not," Lord said. Mayor Reed Gusciora said he was made aware of the arrests but declined to comment beyond that. Im hopeful there will be more to come.. The department found Villanueva violated policy, and charged him internally with conduct unbecoming a public employee and misconduct for the improper use of the spray, and later submitting a false report about the incident. Two Trenton officers involved in arresting Washington after a foot chase in April of 2017 are now facing federal charges. TRENTON, NJ - Two Trenton police officers have been arrested by federal agents and charged with assault and obstruction of justice, authorities announced on Tuesday. Trenton Police Officer Drew Inman and former Trenton Police Officer Anthony Villanueva were charged in a six-count indictment two years after an incident in which they knocked a Trenton man to the ground during an arrest, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced. Villanueva faces additional charges for allegedly assaulting a prisoner who was in a holding cell. 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. Lock FBI Arrests 2 Trenton Cops For Assault, Obstruction An arrest constitutes only the initiation of charges, and those arrested are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in a court of law. Another officer ordered Washington to climb over the fence toward him. Villanueva was assigned to TPD lockup after. Singletary has said he was visited by fed who wanted to know more about the altercation with Villanueva. I dont want you back here because of a mistake. Fired cop facing federal excessive force charges speaks out. 'I - nj The public has an absolute right to trust that law enforcement will protect those they serve and keep them safe. Video of the incident showed Singletary strolling unaccompanied down the hall leading to the jail cells and entering the cell. This is not a Rodney King situation, he said. To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com. It was not immediately clear if that charge was dropped. 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. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 970 Broad Street, 7th Floor Trenton, NJ. His report on that incident included a number of false statements in an attempt to hide his unlawful conduct and improper treatment of the prisoner, authorities said. I never want to be maced again in my life, Singletary previously told this newspaper. 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. These Valuable Pennies Are Worth Thousands, Pa. Woman Went Missing in 1992 and Declared Dead. So far no charges have been brought against Villanueva, who was cut loose by TPD last year. First published on April 23, 2019 / 6:49 PM. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. Villanueva, who graduated from the police academy in 2015, was caught on tape pummeling Washington as he stood with his hands up near a chain-link fence as Inman and Kieffer joined in the clash. Singletary and Villanueva who at last word was being looked at by the feds over allegations of repeated use of excessive force got into it with each other in police lockup over a phone call. Sitting next to their attorneys, they remained quiet as U.S. assistant attorney Joseph Gribko briefly recapped the case against them. 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. TRENTON - A third man who says he was beat up by fired Trenton cop Anthony Villanueva has finally filed suit against the former cop and ex-police director Ernest Parrey Jr., who is. Sign up for our free summaries and get the latest delivered directly to you. Villanueva described it this way in a report after he said he told Singletary he needed to end the phone call: As I began to walk toward Singletary, he immediately began to tense up. . 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. Citations Copy Citation. The whole scuffle was caught on surveillance cameras and the footage was released to The Trentonian. It isn't entirely clear what is happening in the third video, which was shot from a distance. It aint no joke. (VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED). The indictment says the booking photo, obtained by The Trentonian, showed Washington, who has sued over the beatdown, with a busted, bloodied lip, nose and swelling and brusing around his left eye. 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Former officer Anthony Villanueva and current officer Drew Inman appeared in federal court Tuesday afternoon. Villanueva came up from Washingtons side and punched him in the face while Inman tackled him to the ground. Swung his arm around his neck and brought him to the ground, he said. Inman and Kieffer III are white and Villanueva is Hispanic. 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. 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 handed up last Thursday by a federal grand jury and unsealed Tuesday. Quaree Singletary uses a bed mattress to shield himself from mace during a struggle in TPD lockup. And then you have the old regime supervising these people. Former officer Anthony Villanueva and current officer Drew Inman appeared in federal court Tuesday afternoon. Who is Anthony McRae, the suspected Michigan State mass shooter? - ABC News
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