The indictment also recounted Villanuevas Nov. 28, 2017 encounter with Quaree Singletary inside TPD headquarters. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. All the gun-toting drug dealers in Trenton are all gonna be happy tonight that Anthonys no longer a police officer, Ballarotto said. 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. 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. Both defendants are charged with one count aiding and abetting one another to deprive a man of his civil rights. 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 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. In his report, Villanueva claimed he told Singletary he needed to end the phone call and that, As I began to walk toward Singletary, he immediately began to tense up. Villanueva has several other issues pending from his four years on the Trenton police force, which all occurred in 2017. As I reached for the phone, Singletary smacked my hand out of the way.. The indictment was unsealed on Tuesday, and they were both scheduled to appear in court Tuesday afternoon. 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 The three civil suits, which name Villanueva, police officials and the city, are all pending, according to attorney Robin Lord who filed them with Clifford Bidlingmaier. Each man did not speak other than to acknowledge the judge when she advised them of their right to remain silent. You dont want to come back here. He was also seen walking coming down the hall shaking the pepper spray as he approached Singletarys cell. Villanueva is charged with two counts of obstruction while Inman is charged with one count of obstruction in connection to the incident. 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. The Newnan Times-Herald. Villanueva came up from Washingtons side and punched him in the face while Inman tackled him to the ground. Trenton officer, ex-colleague facing civil rights charges - Inquirer.com First published on April 23, 2019 / 6:49 PM. Court: SUPERIOR COURT OF NEW JERSEY APPELLATE DIVISION. With your experience, Im sure youre familiar with your Fifth Amendment rights, Bongiovanni said during the 10-minute court appearance. Inman is not charged in the Singletary incident. A lock ( Villanueva arrested Felton in March 2017 following a foot pursuit following a reported shooting. NBC10 obtained body cam footage of the incident. Singletary, describing the horrible burning pain he experienced after getting maced, explained he asked to go to the hospital but was instead given water to flush out his eyes and throat. Please enter valid email address to continue. Its inbred in internal affairs. 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 was eventually surrounded by Trenton police officers and complied when he was ordered to put his hands in the air. You already receive all suggested Justia Opinion Summary Newsletters. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. 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. The public has an absolute right to trust that law enforcement will protect those they serve and keep them safe. Investigators said he pepper sprayed a defendant while in a holding cell area of Trenton police headquarters. Another officer ordered Washington to climb over the fence toward him. Citations Copy Citation. Lock That decision was then adopted by the states Civil Service Commission. They also took Officer Inman into custody at Trenton police headquarters. Singletary was charged with assaulting Villanueva. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. It burns. Full title: IN THE MATTER OF ANTHONY VILLANUEVA, CITY OF TRENTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. You can explore additional available newsletters here. Her first official day isnt till May 1. 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.. When that trust is violated, it makes it more difficult for our fellow police officers and federal agents to maintain the community's confidence.. Both men are charged with aiding and abetting one another to deprive a man of his civil rights. An official website of the United States government. The man tells the officers, Stop hitting me in my face.". Please subscribe today to NJ.com. They both face more than 30 years in prison if convicted on all counts. The Force Report - NJ.com 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. 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. PDF Inmate Release Report 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. They are accused of assaulting a man during a traffic stop in 2017. 3/6/2023 6352640 villanueva gonz george 3/6/2023 6522314 wilson steven 3/7/2023 6548196 carrillo carlos 3/7/2023 6523835 davis rodney . 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. 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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. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. As Singletary headed toward his cell and the door closed behind him, the cop sprayed him with the stinging mace, affecting nearby prisoners. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Both Inman and Villanueva were granted unsecured bail on Tuesday, meaning they can go home. |. California residents do not sell my data request. All rights reserved (About Us). He plans to appeal to the state Supreme Court. The maximum fine for each of the charges is $250,000. All the charges against Felton were later dropped. Bongiovanni ordered the government to turn over to the defense the names of any witnesses and victims so there wasnt any confusion. 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. On appeal from the New Jersey Civil Service . If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Video of the incident showed Singletary strolling unaccompanied down the hall leading to the jail cells and entering the cell. Swung his arm around his neck and brought him to the ground, he said. The appropriate departmental administrative actions will be taken, he said. / CBS Philadelphia. The FBI was investigating Inman, former TPD officer Anthony Villanueva, and Mark Kieffer III in connection with the April 2017 arrest of Chanzie Washington. TPD Officer Drew Inman, center, was caught on tape punching a suspect in the face while other cops placed him in cuffs. She sounded indignant as she discussed her decades-long struggle to help clients who described being beaten up and abused by TPD officers. A number of officers went around to the other side of the fence, including one officer equipped with a body camera. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. IN THE MATTER OF VILLANUEVA - leagle.com FAX: 609-989-2275. 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. They punched him numerous times while Washington cried out, stop hitting me, and youve got my hands.. Like our content? 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 public has an absolute right to trust that law enforcement will protect those they serve and keep them safe. 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. Sounds likeVillanueva was under the misconception that police solidarity may is the same if you are a person of color. Accountability starts from the top.. Hearing Impaired: 973-645-6227 Dougherty believes the city made a pile of mistakes investigating Villanueva, including not interviewing his client or his supervising sergeant. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Thats what the video shows. Suicide Note Revealed After Shocking Death, Indicted! The public has an absolute right to trust that law enforcement will protect those they serve and keep them safe. Villanueva and Inman were among this group. Yo, why would you do that, he recalled saying. On Tuesday, Villanueva was arrested by the FBI at his home. By The Newnan Times-Herald. Indictment alleges police assaulted suspects in Trenton; two - WHYY Villanueva, who was standing on the same side of the chain-link fence, suddenly appeared out of nowhere, the feds alleged. Villanueva, who has since left the police department, is also charged with assaulting a prisoner in a separate incident. 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.. Lord was pleased somebody from law enforcement was paying attention and holding these officers accountable for their criminal conduct. _____ Submitted January 12, 2021 - Decided Before Judges Haas, Mawla, and Natali. PDF CJUS8023 Hamilton County General Sessions Court - Criminal Division I feel that although [the arrests] are a positive step toward change, its too little too late, she said. Sign up for our free summaries and get the latest delivered directly to you. 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..