Mayor Reed Gusciora said he was made aware of the arrests but declined to comment beyond that. All Rights Reserved. Jerome Ballarotto, Villanuevas attorney, confirmed the FBI went to his clients house in Ewing around 6 a.m. and arrested him at gunpoint, terrorizing his wife and children. Sign up for NewsOne's email newsletter! You can explore additional available newsletters here. The charges against both men stem from an April 2017 traffic stop in Trenton. Villanuevas charges also related to his macing of a suspect in police lockup in 2017, according to the six-count indictment. 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. You dont want to come back here. Racist Ex-University Of Kentucky 'Karen' Sophia Rosing Is Charged For Assaulting Black Student, Mississippi Cops Beat, Waterboarded Handcuffed Black Men, Shot 1 For Dating White Women': Lawyers. All rights reserved (About Us). More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. 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. Villanueva and Inman appeared in federal court Tuesday. Camden:856-757-5026 They also took Officer Inman into custody at Trenton police headquarters. Trenton Police Officer Drew Inman and ex-officer Anthony Villanueva are accused of assaulting a man who was complying with their demands. Cannon , Che' Anthony Berry 10/29/1996 2105 Foust St - Chattanooga, TN Cannon , Courtney Leighann 8/15/1991 3254 Plaza Cir - Chattanooga, TN Cannon , Ira 10/20/1996 . As Singletary headed toward his cell and the door closed behind him, the cop sprayed him with the stinging mace, affecting nearby prisoners. Inman is not charged in the Singletary incident. The public has an absolute right to trust that law enforcement will protect those they serve and keep them safe. Washington complied, according to the indictment, and placed his hands on the fence. By The Newnan Times-Herald. The attorney argued that Trenton Police leave their officers unequipped far too often. 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. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division - Unpublished Opinions, New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division - Unpublished Opinions Decisions. Both men are charged with aiding and abetting one another to deprive a man of his civil rights. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Each man did not speak other than to acknowledge the judge when she advised them of their right to remain silent. 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The maximum fine for each of the charges is $250,000. The false records counts each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. FAX: 609-989-2275. On April 9, 2017 in Trenton, New Jersey, Chanzie Washington allegedly led cops on a car chase and then ran on foot. Enter the name of a police department or an officer: Press to expand search. A six-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court in Trenton last week, unsealed Tuesday, charged Villanueva and Inman with deprivation of civil rights under color of law and falsifying police records. 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. 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). ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Both Inman and Villanueva were granted unsecured bail on Tuesday, meaning they can go home. 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. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. You already receive all suggested Justia Opinion Summary Newsletters. They are accused of assaulting a man during a traffic stop in 2017. 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. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Villanueva stated he intended to charge Q.S. But there was no long struggle, the OAL judge found. It was not immediately clear if that charge was dropped. An official website of the United States government. All rights reserved (About Us). 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 also seen walking coming down the hall shaking the pepper spray as he approached Singletarys cell. Villanueva wore all black, his lean frame topped by a mop of curly jet black hair. On Nov. 28, 2017, Villanueva, who had been assigned to work in the holding cell area of Trenton Police Headquarters, sprayed Oleoresin Capsicum (commonly referred to a pepper spray) on a prisoner who was confined in a holding cell. 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 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. Villanueva faces additional charges for allegedly assaulting a prisoner who was in a holding cell. Search the most comprehensive statewide database of police use of force in the U.S. Both Villanueva and Inman were charged in April 2019 with aiding and abetting each other in depriving the civil rights of Chanzie Washington in April 2017. One part of the video shows Inman punching the suspect before bragging to the person recording the video, saying, I beat the living sh*t he stops when the other officer points to his body camera. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Singletary was charged with assaulting Villanueva. 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.. He is fighting to get his job back. See Average Property Tax Bill In Lawrence Township, Per New Data, Catholics In Diocese Of Trenton Can Eat Meat On St. Patrick's Day, Head-Shaving Event At Lawrence Restaurant To Raise Funds For Cancer, Office Furniture & Soft Seating Liquidation Sale, NJ Camp Fairs at Menlo Park Mall Mar 4, 2023 - FREE to Attend (12-3PM), Protect Your Home from Ticks with Yard Guard from Viking Pest, AMC Theatres In NJ To Base Pricing Off Where You Sit, The Poop On Free-Range Cats And Your Lawn And Garden [Block Talk]. 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. Villanueva is charged with two counts of obstruction, and Inman with one count of obstruction, in connection with that incident. Full title: IN THE MATTER OF ANTHONY VILLANUEVA, CITY OF TRENTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. 970 Broad Street, 7th Floor 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. 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. Inman was arrested at the Trenton Police Station Tuesday morning and is now suspended. Its inbred all over. 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. The arrest of Inman happened a day after the city introduced new police director Sheilah Coley. 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. Washington and Salaam Felton, now of St. Charles, Missouri, also claimed in separate lawsuits they were beaten to a pulp by Villanueva. The indictment was unsealed on Tuesday, and they were both scheduled to appear in court Tuesday afternoon. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Hearing Impaired: 856-968-4983 The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Kieffer III, the son of Capt. 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. Villanueva and Inman, their hands shackled in front of them, appeared Tuesday afternoon before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Tonianne J. Bongiovanni. It isn't entirely clear what is happening in the third video, which was shot from a distance. FAX: 856-968-4917 "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. 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. The public has an absolute right to trust that law enforcement will protect those they serve and keep them safe. The video also captured Villanueva bragging about the arrest later on a phone call. The federal case against them was initially scheduled for trial in 2020, but has been repeatedly postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Villanueva also faces three civil lawsuits from Washington, Singletary, and Salaam Felton. Accountability starts from the top.. I never want to be maced again in my life, Singletary previously told this newspaper. "It's perfectly proper the way he handled himself," Villanueva's attorney, Jerome Ballarotto, said. Police work is difficult and dangerous, but officers need to respect the civil rights of the people they are policing, Carpenito said. . Capt. Lock When that trust is violated, it makes it more difficult for our fellow police officers and federal agents to maintain the communitys confidence.. As I reached for the phone, Singletary smacked my hand out of the way.. Stephen Varn, who is serving as acting police director while Lt. Chris Doyle is on vacation, confirmed Inmans arrest at TPD headquarters. Villanueva is charged with two counts of obstruction while Inman is charged with one count of obstruction in connection to the incident. 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. TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) -- Two Trenton police officers are now in trouble with the law. On April 9, 2017, Chanzie Washington, of Trenton, fled a routine traffic stop on foot, according to authorities. 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. Court: SUPERIOR COURT OF NEW JERSEY APPELLATE DIVISION. Video of the incident showed Singletary strolling unaccompanied down the hall leading to the jail cells and entering the cell. They punched him numerous times while Washington cried out, stop hitting me, and youve got my hands.. Anthony Villanueva leaves the federal courthouse in Trenton in this April 2019 file photo. 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 . Lord was pleased somebody from law enforcement was paying attention and holding these officers accountable for their criminal conduct. 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. Sounds likeVillanueva was under the misconception that police solidarity may is the same if you are a person of color. Villanueva arrested Felton in March 2017 following a foot pursuit following a reported shooting. There are 400+ professionals named "Anthony Villanueva", who use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. 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. Sign up for our free summaries and get the latest delivered directly to you. 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. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Inman and Villanueva returned to the police station to prepare reports in connection with the victims arrest. Inman, sporting the shaved-head look, was still attired in his Trenton Police garb of a black polo shirt and cargo pants. Please enter valid email address to continue. Quaree Singletary uses a bed mattress to shield himself from mace during a struggle in TPD lockup. DOCKET NO. An arrest constitutes only the initiation of charges, and those arrested are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in a court of law. Villanueva and Inman were each ordered released on $50,000 unsecured bonds with conditions. Body camera footage showed Villanueva tracking down, tackling and punching Felton in the head twice from behind following a foot chase in March 2017. Villanueva and Inman were among this group. 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. All say they were beaten up by Villanueva. Im hopeful there will be more to come.. That decision was then adopted by the states Civil Service Commission. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. Singletary has said he was visited by fed who wanted to know more about the altercation with Villanueva. TPD Officer Drew Inman, center, was caught on tape punching a suspect in the face while other cops placed him in cuffs. A number of officers went around to the other side of the fence, including one officer equipped with a body camera. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The man was eventually surrounded by Trenton police officers and complied when he was ordered to put his hands in the air. 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. The Newnan Times-Herald. On appeal from the New Jersey Civil Service . The appeals court fully backed the OAL judge, Jeff Masin, in his findings that Villanueva was properly terminated. 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. Trenton Police department was aware of the the investigation and cooperated fully with federal authorities. / CBS Philadelphia. 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. Date published: Jan 28, 2021. April 23, 2019 / 6:49 PM 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. Trimboli & Prusinowski, LLC, attorneys for respondent City of Trenton . The man tells the officers, Stop hitting me in my face.". The video shows a fence separated Washington from most of the officers, who had their guns trained on him. Official websites use .gov The former officer, Anthony Villanueva, was indicted by federal government for the 2017 incident on accusations he deprived the man of his civil rights. provided by mercer county prosecutors office, Chanzie Washington's mugshot after being arrested April 9, 2017. 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. Officer Anthony Villanueva sprays Quaree Singletary with mace during a lengthy struggle in TPD lockup. With your experience, Im sure youre familiar with your Fifth Amendment rights, Bongiovanni said during the 10-minute court appearance. 3/5/2023 6529843 reed anthony 3/5/2023 6391927 reyes ignacio 3/5/2023 6553956 rodriguez jonatan 3/5/2023 6547498 salinas ricardo . 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. A locked padlock Its inbred in internal affairs. He only had three things. 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. 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. While the man complied with further police demands, Villanueva punched him in the face and Inman tackled him to the ground, according to investigators. Both defendants are charged with one count aiding and abetting one another to deprive a man of his civil rights. Theres no evidence that he was punched at that side of his face.. 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. (VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED). The violation of civil rights counts each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. (Image via YouTube) TRENTON, NJ - Two Trenton police officers have been arrested by. In proceedings in the OAL and the appeals court, the judge found Villanuevas reporting on the incident was starkly different from parts of the incident caught on police security cameras. 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Villanueva went back to headquarters to help process Washington. The Trentonian reported on those dustups, both of which were caught on tape. 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 Villanueva argued in his appeal, among other arguments, that the OAL erred by finding that he violated state policy on using pepper spray, and Trenton police failed to conduct an adequate investigation before terminating his employment. The capital city cops are accused of using excessive force against suspects Chanzie Washington and Quaree Singletary, during separate arrests, in April and November 2017. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS The man who the officers arrested is no longer in jail and his eluding and obstruction charges were later dropped. In the footage below, the officers are heard yelling at Washington. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Its inbred in the academy. My eyes burned for like two, three days.. But they will be back in court Wednesday morning where both men are expected to plead not guilty and go to trial later this year. Villanueva later completed an incident report that contained numerous false statements designed to conceal his unlawful conduct and improper treatment of the prisoner. In the Trenton case, city cops Villanueva and Inman were hit in a six-count indictment that charged civilrights deprivation and falsifying police records. Like our content? Villanueva and Inman knowingly made numerous misrepresentations, false statements and omissions in an effort to portray Victim 1 as the aggressor and an ongoing threat, the indictment says. Passaic Clinton, Hunterdon Trenton, Mercer Tuckerton, Ocean Union Beach, Monmouth Union City, Hudson Union Township, . As the cell door began to close and was almost shut, Villanueva sprayed the chemical agent inside. It aint no joke. Villanueva also faces charges in connection to another incident in which he allegedly pepper sprayed a defendant in a holding cell. His father was a police officer. 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.. 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. 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. These Valuable Pennies Are Worth Thousands, Pa. Woman Went Missing in 1992 and Declared Dead. 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. Dougherty believes the city made a pile of mistakes investigating Villanueva, including not interviewing his client or his supervising sergeant. Villanueva is charged with two counts of obstruction, and Inman with one count of obstruction. In the second incident, Villanueva is charged with depriving a man of his civil rights and obstruction of justice. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. He didnt have a flashlight. I dont want you back here because of a mistake. Two Trenton officers involved in arresting Washington after a foot chase in April of 2017 are now facing federal charges.
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