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TRENTON, NJ — Six corrections officers at the Garden State Youth Correctional Center in Burlington County face criminal charges following an alleged assault on an inmate and subsequent attempts to cover up the incident, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J announced Wednesday . Platkin. A state grand jury returned a seven-count indictment against the officers stemming from the April 8, 2020, incident in Chesterfield, New Jersey.

The defendants, identified as Sgt. Michael Emmert, 40, of Toms River, and Senior Correctional Officers Christopher Toth, 40; Mark Sadlowski, Jr., 46; Raymond Quinones, 50; Michael Gaines, 58; and Michael Ambrozaitis, 60, are accused of forcibly removing an inmate from a cell without following department protocols. The indictment alleges that Emmert pepper-sprayed the inmate twice without giving the inmate a chance to comply with orders, despite the inmate’s willingness to be handcuffed.

“New Jersey’s correctional officers work under difficult circumstances and do an essential job in the criminal justice system and in maintaining public safety,” said Attorney General Platkin. “The alleged conduct of the defendant officers in this case discredits every correctional officer who performs his duties with integrity.”

The charges follow an investigation by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) and the Department of Corrections (DOC) Division of Special Investigations. OPIA Executive Director Drew Skinner emphasized the seriousness of the allegations, saying, “These charges demonstrate that those who abuse people under the protection of the state and those who cover up such abuse will face serious consequences.”

According to the indictment, the officers involved did not provide the inmate with clear and loud instructions or the opportunity to voluntarily exit the cell, as required by DOC policy. Instead, Emmert allegedly pepper-sprayed the inmate upon initial entry and again shortly after, without warning, before a five-person team entered the cell and used force to extract the inmate. The inmate reportedly cried out in pain and later required medical treatment, including oxygen and an inhaler.

The indictment also accuses the officers of falsifying official reports to justify their actions, claiming the inmate was ordered to comply and was noncompliant before using force. Toth faces an additional charge of failing to intervene when he witnessed excessive force.

Each of the six officers was charged with second-degree official misconduct, third-degree tampering with public records and fourth-degree falsifying records. Emmert and Toth face an additional charge of third-degree aggravated assault.

The defendants were initially charged by complaint in May 2022, but now face formal charges that could result in significant penalties if convicted.