MASSACHUSETTS
A federal judge sentenced former Hadley Police Department Officer for using unreasonable force during an arrest and then falsifying a police report of the incident, according to officials.
U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni last week sentenced Christopher M. Roeder, 50, of Agawam, Massachusetts, to 14 months in prison.
In February 2019, after a week-long trial, a federal jury found Roeder guilty of one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of falsification of a document, according to officials.
Evidence presented at trial established that, on April 3, 2017, Roeder struck an arrestee in the face without legal justification, while the arrestee was seated on a bench in the Hadley Police Department booking area.
During the trial, according to MassLive.com, ” both defense and prosecution played a seven-minute video showing Roeder using an elbow strike to break the nose of prisoner Nickolas Peters.
Peters allegedly sped through a construction zone and struck Roeder, who was directing traffic. He failed to stop after hitting Roeder with his pickup truck’s side mirror.”
“Roeder, who suffered bruises on his arm and elbow but did not seek medical attention, arrested Peters four days later after he spotted his truck on Bay Road. He was charged with assault and battery on a police officer and other offenses, “according to MassLive.
The strike fractured the arrestee’s nose in multiple places and required surgery to repair. Roeder subsequently attempted to obstruct the investigation into his assault of the arrestee by falsifying his police report describing the incident.
“Law enforcement officers are sworn to uphold and defend the laws of our nation,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “Roeder abused his power and violated the constitutional rights of an arrestee, eroding the public’s trust in law enforcement. The Department of Justice will continue to hold law enforcement officers accountable for their actions.”
“Officers aren’t only expected to enforce the law in their communities, they are expected to follow it themselves,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “In this case, an officer broke a man’s nose for no legitimate purpose and then, in an effort to cover up the attack, falsified official documents about the incident. This behavior is unacceptable in someone entrusted with protecting the public safety.”
“As a police officer sworn to uphold the law, Mr. Roeder’s conduct deliberately abused the authority bestowed upon him, undermining the integrity of our criminal justice system,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph R. Bonavolanta of the FBI Boston Division.
Adding, “The overwhelming majority of law enforcement officers perform their duties with dedication and integrity, putting their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe. This case illustrates the FBI’s commitment and ability to address isolated incidents where officers betray the badge and the public’s trust.”
DOJ NOTED:
Assistant Attorney General Dreiband; U.S. Attorney Lelling; and FBI SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Deepika Bains Shukla of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office and Trial Attorney Timothy Visser of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.