CRIME
Columbus Officer Charged With Turning Off Body Camera During Encounters With Women While On Duty
U.S. Attorney's Office
A federal grand jury on Thursday indicted a Columbus, Ohio, police officer for allegedly turning off his body-worn camera during incidents with women while on duty.
Nicholas P. Duty, 35, is charged with two counts of destroying or altering records related to a criminal investigation, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio.
According to the indictment, Duty allegedly purposefully deactivated his body-worn camera on two occasions with the intention to impede, obstruct or influence a federal investigation. Prosecutors did not indicate the nature of the investigation he allegedly intended to impede.
On Oct. 31, 2023, and on March 22, 2024, Duty allegedly deactivated or removed his camera during interactions with two women, including during a sexual encounter.
Duty was on duty, wearing a police uniform, in a marked police vehicle and assigned a body worn camera at the time of the incidents. Columbus Division of Police policies require wearing a division-issued camera while on duty.
Duty was arrested on the charges on Friday. Authorities said knowingly altering records to obstruct a federal investigation is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
TMX contributed to this article.
