Christopher M. Roeder, Excessive Force, Massachusetts 2019
A former Hadley Police Department Officer has been held accountable for his actions in using excessive force against an arrestee.
Christopher M. Roeder, 50, of Agawam, Massachusetts, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 14 months in prison for one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of falsification of a document.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred on April 3, 2017, when Roeder struck an arrestee in the face without legal justification, fracturing the arrestee's nose in multiple places and requiring 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.
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.
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.
The case against Roeder serves as a reminder that law enforcement officers will be held accountable for their actions, and that the public's trust in law enforcement must be upheld.
Defendant: Christopher M. Roeder
Criminal Charges: Deprivation of rights under color of law and falsification of a document
City and State: Hadley, Massachusetts
Exact Date: April 3, 2017 (incident date), February 2019 (trial date)
Sentence or Outcome: 14 months in prison
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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