Columbus Cop Sentenced for Turning Off Body Cam with Women

Police car with blue lights in traffic urban environment. — Source: m-gucci / Getty

A former Columbus police officer is headed to federal prison after admitting he turned off his body camera during multiple inappropriate interactions with women while on duty.

Nicholas Duty (35) was sentenced to three years behind bars for destroying and altering records tied to a criminal investigation. After serving his sentence, he’ll be on probation for another three years. He’s also been ordered to pay a $5,500 fine.

Duty pleaded guilty back in January to two federal counts. Investigators say he purposely deactivated or removed his body camera twice, in 2023 and again in March 2024, while wearing his uniform, on the clock, and driving a marked cruiser.

In one case, a woman had called police for help, saying her boyfriend was suicidal. Duty responded, transported the woman, and then shut off both his body and in-car cameras. He later contacted her personally.

The second incident involved another woman at a Sunoco on the West side. Investigators say Duty and the woman were familiar with each other. He offered her money and drove to a separate location in his cruiser. While he removed the camera from his vest, the device still picked up audio. That recording captured Duty pressuring the woman for sex. She declined intercourse but did perform oral sex. According to court records, Duty paid her $20 and talked about meeting again.

The feds began investigating in early 2024 after officers working prostitution details in the Hilltop flagged suspicious activity. A witness identified Duty through a blind photo lineup.

Duty was placed on leave March 24th, formally indicted in April, and resigned from the force on May 3rd. He originally pleaded not guilty but changed his plea in January 2025.

Columbus police policies require officers to wear and activate body cameras during public interactions. Duty’s deliberate choice to turn his off, according to prosecutors, was meant to obstruct a federal investigation.