Former Fall River Police Officer Sentenced to Over Two Years in Prison for Assaulting Man in Custody and Filing False Reports

BOSTON - A former Fall River Police Officer was sentenced today for assaulting a man in custody with a baton and failing to report the assault in subsequent reports.

Nicholas M. Hoar, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 33 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release. In February 2024, Hoar was convicted of one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and two counts of false reports.

On Dec. 21, 2020, while on duty as an officer with the Fall River Police Department, Hoar struck an individual who had been arrested in the forehead with a 22-ounce, steel, expandable police baton, resulting in an injury to the arrestee that required stitches. Hoar then submitted two official police reports which omitted any mention of the fact that he had struck the arrestee in the forehead with a baton; in one of the reports Hoar falsely blamed the victim's injury on a fall.

"Police officers take an oath to uphold the law and the vast majority of men and women in uniform bravely protect and serve the public across this District each and every day," said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. "Nicholas Hoar violated his oath and broke the law. This lengthy prison sentence sends a message to the entire community that we will continue to hold members of law enforcement accountable when they violate a person's civil rights."

"What Nicholas Hoar did is indefensible and a serious divergence from the oath he took to faithfully serve and protect the citizens of Fall River," said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. "There is no question police officers have a challenging job, but it doesn't give them the right to beat someone in their custody and lie about it. Those under arrest retain the same civil rights you and I do. Know that the FBI is determined to defend those rights, and root out corrupt law enforcement officers, on behalf of the vast majority who carry out their duties with honor."

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristina E. Barclay and John J. Reynolds III of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.