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Ex-Caldwell cop allegedly bragged about ‘punching’ detainee in the head to other officers

Former Caldwell Police Lt. Joey Hoadley, who has been indicted on multiple federal felonies, used excessive force on at least four other people from 2012 to 2017, according to a new document filed by the U.S. District Court in Idaho and obtained by the Idaho Statesman.

The six-page document detailed at least four separate incidents in which Hoadley used excessive force. It also included an instance in which the former lieutenant allegedly showed multiple other officers a video of him using excessive force on a detainee.

Hoadley last week pleaded not guilty to four federal charges, which included an allegation that Hoadley struck a man, listed as B.H., while arresting him in 2017. He’s also been charged with destruction, alteration or falsification of records in a federal investigation, tampering with a witness by harassment, and tampering with documents.

The charges stem from an FBI investigation into at least two officers within the Caldwell Police Department. Federal officials have been investigating the officers since at least this spring. The other officer hasn’t been identified by the FBI or local authorities.

The new court filing said that Hoadley struck other people, aside from B.H., after he arrested them and bragged about it to other officers, which showed Hoadley’s “willful pattern of abusive use of force, knowledge, lack of mistake, and intent.”

Hoadley was fired from the Caldwell Police Department in May. Caldwell Police Chief Rex Ingram told reporters at a news conference Wednesday that the initial allegations that sparked the FBI investigation came from within the department.

Ingram told the Statesman by phone that he was unaware of the documents filed in court.

”They have no bearing on this organization or the community at this point, and we are focusing our energy in the future and not on past incidents involving (Hoadley),” Ingram said.

Court filing alleges more excessive force incidents

• Sometime between 2012 and 2013, an unidentified officer observed Hoadley “use excessive force on a detainee,” according to the court notice. The new court document said Hoadley jumped on top of a detainee “who was laying face down” and began choking the person. The officer reportedly physically forced Hoadley off the detainee after the officer realized Hoadley was using excessive force.

• In 2013, Hoadley assisted another Caldwell police officer in arresting a male, identified in the court document as S.C. The officer is expected to testify in Hoadley’s case that Hoadley “punched S.C. in the back of the head while S.C. was handcuffed with his arms behind his back,” according to the document. S.C was lying face down on the pavement.

Hoadley allegedly told S.C. during the incident, “Don’t you ever run,” and the unidentified officer is expected to testify in Hoadley’s case that Hoadley assaulted S.C. because he fled from the police.

• From 2015 to 2016, the document said Hoadley bragged to other Caldwell officers “about punching a detainee in the head while the detainee was in handcuffs and not resisting.” Hoadley showed multiple officers a video of him punching a Hispanic man who was detained and handcuffed, the court filing said. According to the document, officers reported Hoadley’s behavior to supervisors.

When Hoadley showed other officers the video, he “would laugh and boast about the force he used,” the document said.

One of the officers, identified as Officer No. 3, was called into Hoadley’s office and shown the video, the document said. Officer No. 3 reported Hoadley’s behavior to supervisors. Another officer, identified as Officer No. 4, reported Hoadley to the Caldwell police chief and the FBI after the officer saw the same video and was “disturbed” by the incident, the document said.

A fifth officer was also shown the video and was troubled by the incident, but didn’t report Hoadley out of “fear of retaliation,” according to the document.

• In 2016 two officers, identified as Officers Nos. 6 and 7, observed Hoadley “shove and strike” a person identified as K.W., the document said. Hoadley allegedly assaulted K.W. after K.W. told Hoadley, “Don’t you touch me.”

• In 2017 Hoadley punched a person, identified as R.C., multiple times while R.C. was detained, sitting and handcuffed, the document said. Hoadley didn’t document the alleged assault in his report of the incident.

Hoadley is expected to appear for his jury trial at 9 a.m. Sept. 19 at the James A. McClure Federal Building in Boise.

The Statesman has reached out to Josh Hurwit, U.S. attorney for the District of Idaho.