Feds accuse 3 Passaic County jail guards of beating inmate over urine splash

PATERSON — The FBI arrested three Passaic County sheriff’s officers on Wednesday, accusing them of beating a jail detainee in January 2021 as vengeance because the man splashed another guard with urine, officials said.

Two of the officers — Jose Gonzalez, 45, and Donald Vinales, 38 — allegedly committed the assault while escorting the handcuffed man from the jail’s medical unit back to his cell, timing the attack while they entered a blind spot not covered by surveillance cameras, according to the United States Attorney’s Office. Gonzalez and Vinales are both sergeants.

Three other officers were present for the alleged assault — which sent the detainee to the hospital — but the witness officers did nothing to stop the beating, federal authorities said. One of the alleged witnesses, Lorenzo Bowden, 39, has also been charged in the case.

What does the criminal complaint allege?

The criminal complaint said the officers escorting the jail detainee took 20 seconds walking through the blind spot area on their way to the medical unit. But during the return trip, they spent 75 seconds in the blind spot area, the complaint said.

During that time, authorities say, Gonzalez and Vinales struck the man multiple times and knocked him to the ground.

After getting subpoenas that a federal grand jury was investigating the incident, the three charged officers, along with the two guards who witnessed the alleged attack, allegedly held a meeting in April 2022 outside a gym in Wayne during which they agreed to “keep their mouths shut” about what happened, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

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What are the charges?

Gonzalez, Vinales and Bowden all are charged with violating the inmate’s civil rights by beating him and obstruction of justice. Bowden also was charged with making false statements to FBI agents.

The inmate they allegedly attacked, whose name has not been made public, was being held at the jail as a pretrial detainee facing weapons charges.

Court records identify the guard splashed with urine as “Officer-1.” But the criminal complaints make no mention of that officer participating in the alleged assault or the alleged cover-up meeting.

Passaic County has stopped using the jail, near the corner of Grand and Main streets in Paterson, for keeping prisoners. Now Passaic sends its prisoners to the jail in Bergen County. Officials plan to demolish the Paterson jail this year.

What did the Passaic County Sheriff's Office say?

“The Sheriff’s Office has a zero tolerance for any violations of the law from members of the organization,” said department spokesman Bill Maer. “These are truly disturbing allegations, and we are pleased they were fully investigated.

“From the very start of this matter, the Sheriff’s Office assisted the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI as needed,” Maer added. “These individuals will be suspended immediately without pay.”

Vinales, who lives in Hardyston, has a salary of $150,185 and has worked for the Sheriff’s Office since 2009. Gonzalez, of Totowa, makes $157,258 and started in the department in 2003. Bowden, from Totowa, is paid $119,648 and joined the Sheriff’s Office in 2014.

Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press. Email: editor@patersonpress.com

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Passaic County NJ sheriff's officers face FBI charges alleged beating