A New Mexico police officer was arrested and charged with domestic abuse, MTO News has learned. And it was all caught on tape.
The disgraced officer’s colleagues at the Albuquerque Police Department, wanted to make sure that the whole world knows that they don’t allow women beaters in their ranks, so they videotaped his arrest.
Jeffrey Wharton was arrested last week, just before his shift started. Apparently, he had an active open warrant from the neighboring Rio Rancho Police Department, for domestic violence.
According to the criminal complaint, Wharton beat his wife so badly, she had several gashes on her head and face. Police say her injuries were so severe, she had to be taken to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a brain bleed. Some of the domestic incident was even captured on the couples “RING” doorbell system.
When Officer Wharton arrived for his shift at an area substation, the officers were waiting for him and had in their possession the felony warrant. Officer Wharton can then be seen in the video getting arrested, while in uniform.
At one point in the video, you see the officers remove his duty belt and searched him. After the search, they are later seen cutting off his fully marked uniform shirt. Wharton was then lead out of the substation to a waiting cruiser.
Officer Wharton was charged with Kidnapping (First Degree) (NO Intent to Commit Sex Offense), Aggravated Battery (great bodily harm) (household member), Aggravated Battery Against a Household Member (Strangulation or Suffocation), Aggravated Battery (great bodily harm) (household member), Tampering with Evidence (Highest Crime a Capital, First or Second Degree and Negligent Use of a Deadly Weapon (Unsafe Handling).