The Associated Press
WOODBRIDGE, N.J. (AP) - A nine-year veteran of the police force has been indicted on official misconduct charges, accused of punching two men in custody.
A Middlesex County grand jury returned the indictment against Jeffrey Olah, 34, on Wednesday. Olah has been suspended without pay.
Assistant Prosecutor Ronald Abramowitz said Olah is accused of punching a 50-year-old Woodbridge man as the man sat handcuffed to a rail at police headquarters last Jan. 13.
The man, who had been arrested on a disorderly persons charge during a burglary investigation, ignored Olah’s demands to be quiet, Abramowitz said.
The arresting officer was out of the room when the man was struck and returned to find his prisoner with a bloody nose.
The other incident occurred on June 20, 2003. In that instance, Abramowitz said, Olah punched a 25-year-old Perth Amboy man in the face while the man also sat cuffed to the rail in the police station’s booking area.
The man, arrested on a disorderly persons charge after a bar fight, was struck following an exchange of words with other officers.
Both men complained about their treatment, triggering internal affairs inquiries, Abramowitz said.
Olah’s defense lawyer, Stuart Alterman of Cherry Hill, called the allegations meritless and said his client denies the charges.