A New Jersey police chief has been arrested following his indictment on kidnapping and domestic assault charges in Boston, authorities said.
The charges against Totowa police Chief Carmen Veneziano stem from a September incident at a Boston hotel, according to James Borghesani, spokesman with the Suffolk County District Attorney in Massachusetts.
Totowa Mayor John Coiro announced Sunday that Veneziano has been suspended without pay. Veneziano makes $260,780 a year, according to state pension records.
An attorney representing the chief called the charges baseless.
“There is absolutely no merit to these charges,” said attorney Jared Drill. “They are allegations by an ex-girlfriend, who was extremely intoxicated and got into a verbal argument with the chief at a hotel.”
Veneziano, 47, was arrested on a warrant and placed in Bergen County jail on Friday, according to jail records.
Veneziano’s attorney said the police chief and his ex stayed together and got into an argument at a hotel in Boston on Sept. 14.
When hotel security and Boston police arrived at the couple’s hotel room, no arrests were made, Drill said.
The couple then drove back home together, according to the attorney.
Veneziano was indicted in Boston last week on one count of kidnapping and three counts of domestic assault and battery in the September incident, the District Attorney’s spokesman said.
Veneziano will be arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court on Monday afternoon, Borghesani said.
Drill said Veneziano is not challenging extradition to Massachusetts.
“He is hopeful he will be released before Christmas so he can be with his family,” Drill said.
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