A former police officer from Columbus, Ohio, has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of destroying or altering records related to a criminal investigation. Nicholas P. Duty, 35, admitted to two counts of the crime and faces a recommended sentence ranging from 18 to 48 months in prison.
Court documents reveal that Duty deliberately deactivated or removed his body-worn camera on two occasions to impede a federal investigation. The incidents occurred on October 31, 2023, and March 22, 2024, during which Duty was involved in interactions with women while on duty.
In February 2024, concerns about Duty's conduct arose when officers were working on street-level prostitution crimes in Columbus. A witness identified Duty through a blind photo array administered by the police.
During the first incident on Halloween 2023, Duty responded to a call from a woman who reported her boyfriend's suicide attempt. He transported her and disabled his cameras during this interaction. They exchanged phone numbers and remained in contact until April 2024.
The second incident involved video footage showing Duty interacting with another woman near Sullivant Avenue on March 22, 2024. Audio recordings captured him asking for sex and paying the woman $20 after she performed oral sex.
Duty was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2024. He had been serving with the Columbus Division of Police since June 2018.
The plea agreement was announced by U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker along with other officials including Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and Kevin W. Kelley and investigated by the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force.
