Carmen Veneziano was arraigned in Boston and released on $25,000 bail with GPS monitoring.
BOSTON — Totowa, N.J., Police Chief Carmen Veneziano was charged in Massachusetts with one count of kidnapping and three counts of domestic assault and battery after prosecutors said he confined and attacked a woman in a Back Bay hotel room on Sept. 14. He appeared in court Monday and pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors in Suffolk County say Veneziano, 47, assaulted a woman he was dating during an overnight trip to Boston tied to a Red Sox game, prompting a weeks-long investigation that culminated with his arrest in New Jersey on Friday. The case has immediate consequences on both sides of the Hudson: Boston authorities are pressing felony charges, and Totowa officials have suspended the chief without pay while the criminal case proceeds. The arraignment marks the first time details of the alleged hotel-room violence were outlined in open court.
In court, Assistant District Attorney staff summarized the timeline: after attending a baseball game, the pair returned to a Back Bay hotel around 3 a.m. on Sept. 14. Prosecutors said the woman locked the door and hotel security was called; after she allowed Veneziano back inside, he allegedly headbutted her and dragged her across the room between about 3:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. The woman left the state later that morning and contacted authorities. “These are serious allegations involving confinement and repeated assault,” Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in a statement released ahead of the arraignment. Defense counsel entered not-guilty pleas to all counts and disputed the description of events, telling the court the chief would fight the charges.
Judge-ordered conditions include $25,000 cash bail, a GPS monitoring bracelet, and orders to stay away from and have no contact with the woman. Veneziano also must surrender his passport. He waived extradition following his arrest by New Jersey authorities assigned to the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office and was transported to Boston for Monday’s hearing. Totowa Mayor John Coiro said he suspended Veneziano without pay after learning of the indictment, citing the gravity of felony accusations against a sitting police chief. Records show the indictment includes one kidnapping count—defined in Massachusetts as holding someone against their will—and three counts of domestic assault and battery tied to the hotel episode. Authorities have not released the hotel’s name.
The chief has led Totowa’s police department in Passaic County, a borough of roughly 11,000, where municipal records list him as chief since earlier this year. Massachusetts prosecutors say the criminal conduct occurred entirely in Boston, placing the case in Suffolk Superior Court jurisdiction. Back Bay, a busy commercial and residential district near Fenway Park and Copley Square, draws visitors for sports and tourism; police said building security footage and witness accounts formed part of the investigative file. Officials did not disclose medical treatment information, and they did not detail whether Boston police collected forensic evidence at the room.
Legal next steps include grand jury proceedings already completed for the indictment, discovery exchanges between prosecutors and defense, and scheduling of pretrial hearings. Monday’s arraignment set the conditions of release; a follow-up court date is expected in early 2026, according to courtroom statements. In Totowa, the borough council could take additional administrative actions regarding leadership of the police department while the criminal case is pending. Massachusetts law provides potential prison terms for kidnapping and for domestic assault and battery upon conviction; the judge did not set a trial date.
Outside the courthouse, officials offered restrained remarks. “We take allegations of domestic violence seriously,” Hayden said, adding that the office would not comment on evidence beyond what was presented in court. A spokesperson for the Town of Totowa said municipal leaders were notified of the arrest Friday afternoon and moved quickly to suspend the chief. No union representatives spoke in court. A small group of observers, including a few Boston residents and visiting New Jersey media, watched as the judge imposed the GPS requirement and reminded the parties of the no-contact order.
As of late Monday, Veneziano remained free on bail under electronic monitoring. The case now moves into the pretrial phase, with the next hearing expected to be set on the court docket this week. Prosecutors say additional filings could include motions related to the hotel’s security video and witness testimony.
Author note: Last updated December 23, 2025.