TRENTON, N.J. — A former New Jersey State Police trooper has been sentenced to probation following an incident in which he punched a handcuffed woman in the face while holding a metal flashlight, according to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General.
Nicolas Hogan, 28, of Gibbstown, was sentenced on September 30 by Judge Joseph M. Chiarello in Cumberland County Superior Court to two years of probation, with up to 364 days in the county jail as a condition. The jail term was suspended. Judge Chiarello also issued a permanent ban on Hogan from future public employment. Hogan had been suspended without pay since November 2023 and was officially terminated by the State Police in September 2024.
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin called the incident “an unjustified act of violence against a defenseless, distraught woman.” Platkin added, “It was not needed to control this situation — the victim was already detained and in handcuffs — and there was no legitimate objective to using force in this instance, violating policy and the law.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, the assault occurred on September 7, 2022, in Upper Deerfield Township, Cumberland County. State troopers responded to a report of a trespasser and located the victim walking in the road, identifying her based on a description given by the caller. Troopers determined she needed medical evaluation and detained her while waiting for emergency medical personnel to arrive.
The woman, who was not under arrest, became increasingly distraught and protested her detainment. Troopers handcuffed her and placed her in a patrol vehicle. While in the back seat, the victim asked for a tissue but was not given one. Body-worn camera footage showed that, after crying, she had fluid and mucus on her face and had been spitting on the ground.
The incident escalated when the woman spat in the direction of a trooper standing near the open rear passenger door. Hogan, positioned at the rear driver’s side, opened the door and warned her, “If you f***ing spit on a trooper.” When she spat again, this time towards him, Hogan responded by punching the handcuffed woman in the face with his fist while holding a metal flashlight, according to the case documents.
Hogan pleaded guilty on July 25, 2024, to one count of third-degree aggravated assault. Drew Skinner, Executive Director of the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA), emphasized the importance of accountability in the case. “The badge cannot be used to excuse illegal conduct,” Skinner said. “This sentence illustrates that the improper use of force by law enforcement is unacceptable and no one is above the law.”
