Buffalo Police Officer Charged With Using Excessive Force On Chippewa Street Early Thanksgiving Morning

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
PHONE:         (716) 843-5817
FAX:            (716) 551-3051
 
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Corey Krug, 40, of Buffalo, NY, was charged by criminal complaint with deprivation of rights under color of law. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and fine of $250,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Rogowski, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in the early morning hours of November 27, 2014 (Thanksgiving Day), an individual known as D.F. was standing in a parking lot on Chippewa St. in downtown Buffalo when he was accosted by a uniformed police officer identified as the defendant.

The complaint states that Krug grabbed D.F., pushed the victim against a car parked in the lot, and pushed D.F. to the ground. While the victim was on the ground, the defendant pushed his knee onto D.F’s chest and used his night stick to strike the victim repeatedly in the legs causing pain, swelling and bruising.

The complaint further states that according to D.F., the victim heard another police officer tell Krug to stop. The defendant stopped hitting D.F. and did not arrest the victim. Once D.F. stood up, he realized his cell phone fell out of his pocket on the ground near Krug. The defendant stomped on the phone before kicking it towards D.F.

The confrontation was captured on video by WKBW Channel 7 and was reviewed by FBI Special Agents.

The defendant will make an initial appearance at a later date. Krug is currently suspended by the Buffalo Police Department.

The complaint is the culmination of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel Derenda.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.