Prosecutors: Former Hadley Police Officer Charged After Breaking Man's Nose

A former Massachusetts police officer has been charged in federal court after authorities say he struck a man in the face, breaking his nose, and then lied about it.

The U.S. attorney's office for Massachusetts said Friday that former Hadley police officer Christopher Roeder, of Agawam, is charged with deprivation of rights under color of law and falsification of a document.

Prosecutors say Roeder had no legal justification for assaulting the man who had been arrested and was sitting in the police department. Prosecutors say the man would need plastic surgery to repair his nose.

Roeder wrote in a report that he had to hit the man to gain his compliance, but prosecutors say that was false.

It wasn't immediately clear on Friday if Roeder has an attorney.