All rights reserved, Philly POPS Musicians Disappointed' by Recent Moves, Trump Supporters Get Parole in Philadelphia Weapons Case, Check Your Change! The video shows a fence separated Washington from most of the officers, who had their guns trained on him. They also took Officer Inman into custody at Trenton police headquarters. FAX:973-645-2702 Washington complied, according to the indictment, and placed his hands on the fence. Attorneys Molly Lorber, Joseph Gribko and Ray Mateo of the U.S. Attorney=s Office Criminal Division in Trenton in the criminal case. 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. Villanueva wore all black, his lean frame topped by a mop of curly jet black hair. 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. 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.. The former officer, Anthony Villanueva, was. The former officer, Anthony Villanueva, was indicted by federal government for the 2017 incident on accusations he deprived the man of his civil rights. As the cell door began to close and was almost shut, Villanueva sprayed the chemical agent inside. Inman and Villanueva were two of the officers caught on tape appearing to throw blows after Washington surrendered following a wild foot chase through the city. They both face more than 30 years in prison if convicted on all counts. Official websites use .gov Full title: IN THE MATTER OF ANTHONY VILLANUEVA, CITY OF TRENTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. Trenton officer, ex-colleague plead not guilty in civil rights case Villanueva is also charged with depriving a second man of his civil rights in a separate incident, and with obstruction related to that second incident. It was not immediately clear if that charge was dropped. Almost immediately thereafter, defendant Villanueva strode quickly down the corridor after victim 2, towards Cell 7, carrying a can of Oleoresin Capsicum, also known as OC spray or pepper spray., It goes on to say Villanueva reached through the bars and sprayed OC spray into Cell 7, while victim 2 attempted to shield himself with a mattress.. These Valuable Pennies Are Worth Thousands, Pa. Woman Went Missing in 1992 and Declared Dead. The maximum fine for each of the charges is $250,000. Inman is still on restricted duty and Kieffer III is on the streets. The attorney argued that Trenton Police leave their officers unequipped far too often. 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. On April 9, 2017, Chanzie Washington, of Trenton, fled a routine traffic stop on foot, according to authorities. Singletary was charged with assaulting Villanueva. DOCKET NO. 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. Quaree Singletary engaged in a struggle with city cop Anthony Villanueva after Villanueva abruptly ended Singletary's phone call to relatives. When that trust is violated, it makes it more difficult for our fellow police officers and federal agents to maintain the community's confidence.. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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. On Nov. 28, 2017, Villanueva pepper sprayed a prisoner who was confined to a holding cell at Trenton Police Headquarters, according to authorities. Police work is difficult and dangerous, but officers need to respect the civil rights of the people they are policing, Carpenito said. You're all set! The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Villanueva came up from Washingtons side and punched him in the face while Inman tackled him to the ground. Its a travesty for him, but also for the law abiding resident of the city of Trenton, at a time when we need good honest hard-working police officers who really want to the job and at the same time want to go home to their families at night without getting a bullet in the chest. All Rights Reserved. Third excessive force suit brought against ex-Trenton cop Anthony Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. He was fired in June 2018. 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. Villanueva faces additional charges for allegedly assaulting a prisoner who was in a holding cell. Anthony Villanueva leaves the federal courthouse in Trenton in this April 2019 file photo. Authorities say the driver involved in the stop fled in his vehicle and then on foot as officers pursued. Washington also got decked in the face by a Villanueva haymaker after he appeared to surrender to cops from behind a chain-link fence after a long chase. 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. Villanueva is charged with two counts of obstruction while Inman is charged with one count of obstruction in connection to the incident. 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 accused of not doing enough to crack down on rogue cops. The violation of civil rights counts each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. In the footage below, the officers are heard yelling at Washington. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. The Force Report - NJ.com A Trenton police officer and his former colleague have pleaded not guilty to federal charges they violated a man's civil rights during a violent traffic stop. He only had three things. Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Personally, its devastating to him, Hes got a family. Sign up for our free summaries and get the latest delivered directly to you. 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. He allegedly later completed an incident report that contained numerous false statements to conceal his conduct. Will anti-police sentiment change outcomes for Nucera - PressReader Singletary has said he was visited by fed who wanted to know more about the altercation with Villanueva. Officers try to subdue Quaree Singletary during a lengthy struggle in police lockup. Officer Drew Inman and former city Officer Anthony Villanueva entered their pleas Wednesday during their arraignments in federal court. U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, with the investigation leading to todays indictment. Inman, sporting the shaved-head look, was still attired in his Trenton Police garb of a black polo shirt and cargo pants. Ballarotto said his client cooperated with the feds and testified at an administrative law hearing. provided by mercer county prosecutors office, Chanzie Washington's mugshot after being arrested April 9, 2017. Inman is not charged in the Singletary incident. The counts against both officers stem from a traffic stop on April 9, 2017, in Trenton. The videos showing a now-fired Trenton police officer punching and tackling a man with his hands up and pepper-spraying another man in a locked jail cell dont lie, but Anthony Villanueva contends they dont tell the whole story. Washington and Salaam Felton, now of St. Charles, Missouri, also claimed in separate lawsuits they were beaten to a pulp by Villanueva. Its inbred in the academy. Trenton, NJ. PDF CJUS8023 Hamilton County General Sessions Court - Criminal Division I know its a small community, the judge told the defendants. Lock Two Trenton Police Officers Charged with Civil Rights Violations In re Villanueva. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Thats what the video shows. But there was no long struggle, the OAL judge found. On November 28, 2017, Villanueva was on duty at the Trenton Police Department Detention Center. 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. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. Villanueva and Inman were among this group. California residents do not sell my data request. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Quaree Singletary, of Ewing, claims he was physically assaulted by Villanueva in lockup at Trenton Police headquarters on Nov. 28, 2017, and suffers from serious bodily injuries to his brain, head, face and body.. Video of the incident showed Singletary strolling unaccompanied down the hall leading to the jail cells and entering the cell. Both defendants are charged with one count aiding and abetting one another to deprive a man of his civil rights. The beginning of the videos dont include sound until after Washington is struck, so it is unclear what led the officers to tackle Washington to the ground. He was assisted that night by a police aide (the aide). The arresting departments are noted: Coweta County Sheriff's Office (CCSO), Chattahoochee Hills Police Department (CHPD . It isn't entirely clear what is happening in the third video, which was shot from a distance. 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. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Lord was pleased somebody from law enforcement was paying attention and holding these officers accountable for their criminal conduct. Investigators said he pepper sprayed a defendant while in a holding cell area of Trenton police headquarters. Villanueva grabbed a bottle of mace from the detention area. Trenton officer, ex-colleague plead not guilty to civil rights charges |. 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. Villanueva is charged with two counts of obstruction, and Inman with one count of obstruction, in connection with that incident. Ballarotto said his client is being unfairly vilified as a rogue cop, and he believes the ex-TPDer will get cleared. The charges and accusations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and Inman and Villanueva are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.