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. The former officer, Anthony Villanueva, was. The arrest of Inman happened a day after the city introduced new police director Sheilah Coley. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 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. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 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. 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. You can explore additional available newsletters here. 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). Authorities said Villanueva punched the driver in the face and Inman tackled him. 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. 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. 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. Ballarotto said his client is being unfairly vilified as a rogue cop, and he believes the ex-TPDer will get cleared. 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]. He plans to appeal to the state Supreme Court. They are accused of assaulting a man during a traffic stop in 2017. A number of officers went around to the other side of the fence, including one officer equipped with a body camera. Trenton Police Officer Drew Inman and ex-officer Anthony Villanueva are accused of assaulting a man who was complying with their demands. Ballarotto said his client cooperated with the feds and testified at an administrative law hearing. Villanueva was fired by Trenton police last summer for an alleged pattern of excessive force. (Image via YouTube) TRENTON, NJ - Two Trenton police officers have been arrested by. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 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 man was eventually surrounded by Trenton police officers and complied when he was ordered to put his hands in the air. 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. California residents do not sell my data request. A-4302-18T3 (App. 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. 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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. Trenton, GA Cureton , Phillip Lebron 2/15/1977 9846 W Ridge Trail Rd - Soddy Daisy, TN Curington , Jessica Lee 9/28/1979 The appropriate departmental administrative actions will be taken, he said. Villanueva was fired last year and faces a separate federal charge for allegedly pepper spraying a man in a police holding cell. The sound picks up after Washington is already on the ground in the first two videos. It was not immediately clear if that charge was dropped. Trenton officer, ex-colleague plead not guilty to civil rights charges A locked padlock 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. 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). 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. / CBS Philadelphia. 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. I feel that although [the arrests] are a positive step toward change, its too little too late, she said. All say they were beaten up by Villanueva. 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. The indictment also recounted Villanuevas Nov. 28, 2017 encounter with Quaree Singletary inside TPD headquarters. In re Villanueva, DOCKET NO. A-4302-18T3 | Casetext Search + Citator 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. Villanueva came up from Washingtons side and punched him in the face while Inman tackled him to the ground. Police work is difficult and dangerous, but officers need to respect the civil rights of the people they are policing, Carpenito said. Inman, sporting the shaved-head look, was still attired in his Trenton Police garb of a black polo shirt and cargo pants. The violation of civil rights counts each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. You already receive all suggested Justia Opinion Summary Newsletters. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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 federal case against them was initially scheduled for trial in 2020, but has been repeatedly postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. My eyes burned for like two, three days.. Villanueva wore all black, his lean frame topped by a mop of curly jet black hair. 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. Inmans lawyer has declined to comment. So far no charges have been brought against Villanueva, who was cut loose by TPD last year. Two Trenton officers involved in arresting Washington after a foot chase in April of 2017 are now facing federal charges. 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 . All rights reserved (About Us). Villanueva was fired by the police department, and is the subject of three excessive force lawsuits, according to The Trentonian. The former officer, Anthony Villanueva, was indicted by federal government for the 2017 incident on accusations he deprived the man of his civil rights. On Tuesday, Villanueva was arrested by the FBI at his home. Footage from the incident that was obtained by The Trentonian via public records request can be seen below. 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 is charged with two counts of obstruction while Inman is charged with one count of obstruction in connection to the incident. Third excessive force suit brought against ex-Trenton cop Anthony 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. 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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 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. Sign up for NewsOne's email newsletter! 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. All Rights Reserved. The whole scuffle was caught on surveillance cameras and the footage was released to The Trentonian. Villanueva faces additional charges for allegedly assaulting a prisoner who was in a holding cell. Please enter valid email address to continue. PDF Inmate Release Report He is also charged with additional civil rights and obstruction counts in connection to a separate incident in November 2017. The video appeared to show Singletary slapping Villanuevas hand away from the phone. Inman is not charged in the Singletary incident. Not for Publication Without the Approval of The Appellate Division Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 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. Officers try to subdue Quaree Singletary during a lengthy struggle in police lockup. Scott Krasny, Inmans attorney, declined to comment. HCSO-Criminal Investigative Division-Open Warrant Info FUll List FBI Arrests 2 Trenton Cops For Assault, Obstruction 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 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. Inman was arrested at the Trenton Police Station Tuesday morning and is now suspended. . But there was no long struggle, the OAL judge found. On Nov. 28, 2017, Villanueva pepper sprayed a prisoner who was confined to a holding cell at Trenton Police Headquarters, according to authorities. 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.