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Bayonne Officer Charged With Beating Handcuffed Suspect With Flashlight

NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A Bayonne, New Jersey police officer was arrested by federal agents Friday, after being indicted for allegedly beating a handcuffed suspect with a flashlight.

Bayonne police Officer Domenico Lillo, 44, was arrested Friday morning after a grand jury in Newark returned an indictment against him, according to the New Jersey U.S. Attorney's Office.

Lillo was charged with the deprivation of civil rights under color of law and falsification of records, and was released from custody on $100,000 bond after his initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III in Newark, prosecutors said.

As 1010 WINS' Carol D'Auria reported, Lillo declined to comment as he and his wife left the federal courthouse.

Bayonne Officer Charged With Beating Handcuffed Suspect With Flashlight

Early on the evening of Dec. 27, 2013, Lillo and other Bayonne officers went to a residence in Bayonne to execute an arrest warrant, prosecutors said. Lillo allegedly hit the subject of the warrant -- identified as Brandon Walsh -- with a flashlight when Walsh was handcuffed and was not resisting arrest, prosecutors said.

The subject of the warrant was injured by the beating, prosecutors said.

Lillo was also accused of falsifying a Bayonne police use of force report related to the arrest, so as to impede an investigation into the incident, prosecutors said.

If convicted, Lillo could face a maximum of 30 years in prison, prosecutors said.

Walsh has also filed a police brutality lawsuit against Lillo and the City of Bayonne.

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