SIX NJ CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS INDICTED FOR INMATE ASSAULT AND COVER-UP

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced the indictment of six correctional officers by a state grand jury over a 2020 incident involving the assault of an inmate at the Garden State Youth Correctional Facility in Burlington County.

The officers—Sgt. Michael Emmert and Senior Officers Christopher Toth, Mark Sadlowski Jr., Raymond Quinones, Michael Gaines, and Michael Ambrozaitis—face charges for using excessive force during the pepper spraying and removal of the inmate on April 8, 2020, and for falsifying reports to conceal the event. The indictment follows an investigation by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability and the Department of Corrections. 

Attorney General Platkin condemned their actions as a violation of corrections integrity and stated that mistreatment in state care won’t be tolerated. Charges include official misconduct, tampering with public records, and falsifying records, with additional assault charges for Emmert and Toth. 

If convicted, the officers could face prison time and fines, reinforcing efforts to hold law enforcement accountable, especially within corrections.