COLUMBUS, OH – A Columbus police officer is in hot water, facing federal charges for allegedly switching off his body-worn camera during on-duty encounters with women, including one instance that allegedly involved a sexual encounter. The move, prosecutors say, was a deliberate attempt to derail a federal investigation.
Nicholas P. Duty, 35, of Commercial Point, Ohio, was arrested this morning and is scheduled to appear in federal court at 12:45pm today. A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday, unsealed today, charging Duty with two counts of destroying or altering records related to a criminal investigation – a serious federal offense.
The indictment alleges that on October 31, 2023, and March 22, 2024, Duty purposefully deactivated or removed his police body worn camera during interactions with two women. Sources close to the investigation indicate the alleged tampering occurred while Duty was fully on duty, in uniform, operating a marked police vehicle, and explicitly aware of the Columbus Division of Police’s bodycam policy.
The details are grim. While the indictment doesn’t explicitly detail the nature of all interactions, it confirms at least one involved a sexual encounter. Duty’s alleged actions weren’t about a technical malfunction; they were a calculated effort to impede, obstruct, or influence a federal investigation, according to prosecutors. Knowingly altering records to obstruct a federal investigation carries a hefty penalty – up to 20 years in prison.
The announcement of the charges came jointly from United States Attorney Kenneth L. Parker, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Daryl S. McCormick, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. This collaborative effort signals the seriousness with which federal and local authorities are treating the allegations.
Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and Kevin W. Kelley are prosecuting the case, which is being spearheaded by the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission’s Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force. Authorities are urging anyone with information related to this case or knowledge of other potential crimes to contact the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) at 855-BCI-OHIO (855-224-6336). It’s crucial to remember that an indictment contains allegations, and Duty is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. But the evidence, as presented, paints a disturbing picture of potential abuse of power.
RELATED: Meth Man Snyder Faces Decades in Federal Prison
RELATED: Meth Ring Busted Near Glenville State
Related Federal Cases
Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News