Columbus police officer who had sex with woman on duty destroyed body cam footage, feds say

A federal grand jury handed up charges against a Columbus police officer accused of destroying evidence, including body cam footage, after a sexual encounter with a woman while on duty.

Nicholas Duty, 35, was arrested Friday morning and is expected to have his first appearance in U.S. District Court Friday afternoon, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

Duty is charged with destroying or altering records related to a criminal investigation, a crime that carries a potential maximum sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.

Duty was placed on relieved of duty status on March 24 as part of an ongoing investigation that began in February, according to Duty's personnel file.

A release from the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio said a federal grand jury indicted Duty Thursday.

Duty turned off his body camera or removed it during at least two interactions with women, including one that was a sexual encounter, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

The incidents are believed to have occurred on Oct. 31 and March 22.

The federal prosecutors said Duty had been on duty, wearing his police uniform and in a marked police cruiser during the interactions. A body camera is considered part of the uniform for patrol officers.

According to the unsealed indictment, Duty turned off his body camera while interacting with "Jane Doe" on Oct. 31, which violated the Division of Police's internal policies.

The March 22 incident, which the indictment describes as a sexual encounter with "Jane Doe 2," involved Duty "removing and obscuring" his body worn camera.

In a statement, the Columbus Division of Police said the department "acknowledges the gravity of the situation" and that "swift and appropriate" discipline will be imposed on any officer who violates the law or the department's standards.

"Our obligation is not only to uphold the law but also to earn and maintain the trust of the communities we serve," the statement said. "While incidents such as these are regrettable, they serve as reminders of our ongoing commitment to uphold the principles of justice and fairness."

Duty was a patrol officer assigned to work on the city's West Side, according to his personnel file. He graduated from the James G. Jackson Columbus Police Academy in December 2018 and began work as a patrol officer in January 2019.

The Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force is handling the investigation.

The U.S. Attorney's office said that anyone with information about Duty's activity or knowledge of potential additional crimes should contact the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation at 855-BCI-OHIO (855-224-6336) or Columbus police's internal affairs unit at 614-645-4880.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus police officer destroyed evidence of having sex on duty, feds say