FBI Arrests 2 Trenton Cops For Assault, Obstruction

TRENTON, NJ - Two Trenton police officers have been arrested by federal agents and charged with assault and obstruction of justice, authorities announced on Tuesday.

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 indictment was unsealed on Tuesday, and they were both scheduled to appear in court Tuesday afternoon.

Footage from the incident that was obtained by The Trentonian via public records request can be seen below. (VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED)

On April 9, 2017, Chanzie Washington, of Trenton, fled a routine traffic stop on foot, according to authorities. Trenton police officers chased him down. Surrounded by police officers, Washington complied when told to raise his hands, according to authorities.

The video shows a fence separated Washington from most of the officers, who had their guns trained on him. A number of officers went around to the other side of the fence, including one officer equipped with a body camera.

Villanueva and Inman were among this group. Villanueva came up from Washington’s side and punched him in the face while Inman tackled him to the ground. They punched him numerous times while Washington cried out, “stop hitting me,” and “you’ve got my hands.”

In the footage below, the officers are heard yelling at Washington. The video includes body cameras from three officers, but not from Villanueva or Inman. The beginning of the videos don’t include sound until after Washington is struck, so it is unclear what led the officers to tackle Washington to the ground.

The sound picks up after Washington is already on the ground in the first two videos. It isn't entirely clear what is happening in the third video, which was shot from a distance.

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.

Villanueva, who has since left the police department, is also charged with assaulting a prisoner in a separate incident.

On Nov. 28, 2017, Villanueva pepper sprayed a prisoner who was confined to a holding cell at Trenton Police Headquarters, according to authorities. 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.

Villanueva was fired by the police department, and is the subject of three excessive force lawsuits, according to The Trentonian. He is fighting to get his job back.

“Police work is difficult and dangerous, but officers need to respect the civil rights of the people they are policing,” Carpenito said. “They cannot resort to excessive force in performing their duties. Incidents like these erode the public’s 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. “The public has an absolute right to trust that law enforcement will protect those they serve and keep them safe. When that trust is violated, it makes it more difficult for our fellow police officers and federal agents to maintain the community's confidence.”

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 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.

The violation of civil rights counts each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The false records counts each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The maximum fine for each of the charges is $250,000.