Sign up for NewsOne's email newsletter! 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. Have a question about Government Services? 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. 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. . Sitting next to their attorneys, they remained quiet as U.S. assistant attorney Joseph Gribko briefly recapped the case against them. Villanueva went back to headquarters to help process Washington. The two appeared to exchange words in the soundless video moments before tempers flared. 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. 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. Trenton, GA Cureton , Phillip Lebron 2/15/1977 9846 W Ridge Trail Rd - Soddy Daisy, TN Curington , Jessica Lee 9/28/1979 Inman has been with the department a little more than two years and makes more than $57,000 in annual salary. Police work is difficult and dangerous, but officers need to respect the civil rights of the people they are policing, U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. The video shows a fence separated Washington from most of the officers, who had their guns trained on him. All rights reserved (About Us). Mar. When that trust is violated, it makes it more difficult for our fellow police officers and federal agents to maintain the community's confidence.. 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. Inman and Kieffer III are white and Villanueva is Hispanic. He is also charged with additional civil rights and obstruction counts in connection to a separate incident in November 2017. 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 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. "It's perfectly proper the way he handled himself," Villanueva's attorney, Jerome Ballarotto, said. Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Ballarotto said his client cooperated with the feds and testified at an administrative law hearing. You dont want to come back here. DOCKET NO. Main Office: Officer Drew Inman and former city Officer Anthony Villanueva entered their pleas Wednesday during their arraignments in federal court. 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. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Trenton attorney Robin Lord represents Washington, Singletary and a third man, Saalam Felton, in separate lawsuits. A police aide rushed to try to help subdue Singletary, who allegedly elbowed Villanueva during the altercation. The violation of civil rights counts each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Quaree Singletary engaged in a struggle with city cop Anthony Villanueva after Villanueva abruptly ended Singletary's phone call to relatives. Body cam footage obtained by NBC10 shows the man on the ground and crying out in pain while officers are on top of him. Mark Kieffer Jr., was not charged in the indictment and not mentioned by name. 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 was fired by Trenton police last summer for an alleged pattern of excessive force. 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. Ballarotto plans to hire a police expert to testify that the officer's physicality was within the law. Its inbred in internal affairs. The man was eventually surrounded by Trenton police officers and complied when he was ordered to put his hands in the air. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. Officer Anthony Villanueva sprays Quaree Singletary with mace during a lengthy struggle in TPD lockup. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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. 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His father was a police officer. 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. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Div. Villanuevas lawyer said the only people who should be happy about the charges are gang members, gun carriers, and drug sellers. An arrest constitutes only the initiation of charges, and those arrested are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in a court of law. On Tuesday, Villanueva was arrested by the FBI at his home. Trenton Police Officer Drew Inman and ex-officer Anthony Villanueva are accused of assaulting a man who was complying with their demands. The public has an absolute right to trust that law enforcement will protect those they serve and keep them safe. In re Villanueva. The lawsuit faults Parrey, who is no longer police director, for not flagging Villanuevas pattern of unreasonable force.. 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 . Both defendants are charged with one count aiding and abetting one another to deprive a man of his civil rights. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Video of the incident showed Singletary strolling unaccompanied down the hall leading to the jail cells and entering the cell. Trenton Police department was aware of the the investigation and cooperated fully with federal authorities. I dont want you back here because of a mistake. FAX: 609-989-2275. Washington complied, according to the indictment, and placed his hands on the fence. Villanueva faces additional charges for allegedly assaulting a prisoner who was in a holding cell. 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.. And then you have the old regime supervising these people. 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. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. A locked padlock Accountability starts from the top.. Villanueva grabbed a bottle of mace from the detention area. Lock They cannot resort to excessive force in performing their duties. Thats not what this was.. Villanueva and Inman appeared in federal court Tuesday. Another officer ordered Washington to climb over the fence toward him. He plans to appeal to the state Supreme Court. Trenton Police Officer Drew Inman and ex-officer Anthony Villanueva are accused of assaulting a man who was complying with their demands. TRENTON, NJ - Two Trenton police officers have been arrested by federal agents and charged with assault and obstruction of justice, authorities announced on Tuesday. 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 former officer, Anthony Villanueva, was indicted by federal government for the 2017 incident on accusations he deprived the man of his civil rights. NBC10 obtained body cam footage of the incident.. 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. ANTHONY VILLANUEVA, CITY OF TRENTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. Anthony Villanueva, then 25, after leaving U.S. District Court in Trenton in an April 2019 file photo.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Med. 3/5/2023 6529843 reed anthony 3/5/2023 6391927 reyes ignacio 3/5/2023 6553956 rodriguez jonatan 3/5/2023 6547498 salinas ricardo . Camden:856-757-5026 Singletary and his attorneys may be banking on power in numbers. You already receive all suggested Justia Opinion Summary Newsletters. 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. 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 also faces charges in connection to another incident in which he allegedly pepper sprayed a defendant in a holding cell. Villanueva and Inman were each ordered released on $50,000 unsecured bonds with conditions. 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. 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. By The Newnan Times-Herald. I believe that if my client gets a fair hearing he wont be charged.. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. They are charged with violating Washington's civil rights and falsifying police. Without issuing any warning or command, defendant Villanueva moved swiftly towards victim 1 and punched victim 1 in the face, the indictment states. 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. Villanuevas charges also related to his macing of a suspect in police lockup in 2017, according to the six-count indictment. Former officer Anthony Villanueva and current officer Drew Inman appeared in federal court Tuesday afternoon. Both Inman and Villanueva were granted unsecured bail on Tuesday, meaning they can go home. According to Trentonian , 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. He was assisted that night by a police aide (the aide). The charges and accusations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and Inman and Villanueva are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. As I reached for the phone, Singletary smacked my hand out of the way.. Aerotek Mark Anthony Villanueva It isn't entirely clear what is happening in the third video, which was shot from a distance. 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. This is not a Rodney King situation, he said. The false records counts each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Date published: Jan 28, 2021. They punched him numerous times while Washington cried out, stop hitting me, and youve got my hands.. Our journalism needs your support. You're all set! The sound picks up after Washington is already on the ground in the first two videos. Two Trenton officers involved in arresting Washington after a foot chase in April of 2017 are now facing federal charges. Villanueva, who was standing on the same side of the chain-link fence, suddenly appeared out of nowhere, the feds alleged. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. As Felton was walking on a street, not running, Villanueva ran up behind him and punched him in the head several times before tackling him to the ground. So far no charges have been brought against Villanueva, who was cut loose by TPD last year. 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.. Swung his arm around his neck and brought him to the ground, he said. All Rights Reserved. The man who the officers arrested is no longer in jail and his eluding and obstruction charges were later dropped. On April 9, 2017 in Trenton, New Jersey, Chanzie Washington allegedly led cops on a car chase and then ran on foot. Sounds likeVillanueva was under the misconception that police solidarity may is the same if you are a person of color. Villanueva also faces three civil lawsuits from Washington, Singletary, and Salaam Felton. She sounded indignant as she discussed her decades-long struggle to help clients who described being beaten up and abused by TPD officers. In the Trenton case, city cops Villanueva and Inman were hit in a six-count indictment that charged civilrights deprivation and falsifying police records. That came one day after they made their initial court appearances and were each released on $50,000 bail. As the cell door began to close and was almost shut, Villanueva sprayed the chemical agent inside. Singletary picked up a bed mat to shield himself from the mace, pushing past the cop as he ran toward the detention area, before he was finally retained and handcuffed. He only had three things. That decision was then adopted by the states Civil Service Commission. be arrested and re-processed. The Newnan Times-Herald. A-4302-18T3 (App. Attorneys Molly Lorber, Joseph Gribko and Ray Mateo of the U.S. Attorney=s Office Criminal Division in Trenton in the criminal case. All the gun-toting drug dealers in Trenton are all gonna be happy tonight that Anthonys no longer a police officer, Ballarotto said. Villanueva was fired in June 2018 and was in the process of fighting to get his job back. My eyes burned for like two, three days.. I never want to be maced again in my life, Singletary previously told this newspaper. 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. Quaree Singletary uses a bed mattress to shield himself from mace during a struggle in TPD lockup. 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. The charges against both men stem from an April 2017 traffic stop in Trenton. 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 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. "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. 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.

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