A Brooklyn resident has taken legal action against the City of New York and several police officers alleging civil rights violations. On October 24, 2024, Shamarlon Villafana filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York against the City of New York and multiple NYPD officers. The lawsuit accuses them of false arrest, malicious prosecution, excessive use of force, and other serious allegations.
The plaintiff, Shamarlon Villafana, alleges that on March 3, 2022, she was wrongfully arrested by NYPD officers based on an ICARD issued under false pretenses. The arrest stemmed from an alleged verbal dispute with her ex-boyfriend, which did not warrant criminal charges. Villafana claims she was coerced into turning herself in by threats from the officers and was subsequently subjected to tight handcuffing causing pain and numbness. She further alleges that during her detention at the NYPD-69th Precinct and later at Central Booking, no contraband was found on her person despite an illegal search conducted by the officers.
Villafana's complaint details how these actions violated her constitutional rights under several amendments and federal statutes. She accuses Detective Daniel Davidoff, P.O. Joshua E. Crowley, Sergeant Dana M. Martillo, Sergeant Titus T. Parham, and unnamed John Doe and Jane Doe officers of fabricating evidence leading to her malicious prosecution. The charges against her were eventually dismissed on June 3, 2022; however, she contends that the damage had already been done—emotionally and reputationally.
Seeking justice for these alleged violations, Villafana demands compensatory and punitive damages for each cause of action listed in her complaint. Her lawsuit not only seeks redress for personal grievances but also highlights systemic issues within the NYPD regarding racial profiling and inadequate training or supervision of its officers, a pattern evidenced by numerous similar lawsuits settled by the city.
Represented by attorney Ugo Uzoh from The Law Offices of Ugo Uzoh P.C. Case ID 24 CV 7446.