A former Durango Police Department officer accused of domestic violence signed a diversion agreement that calls for domestic violence treatment and an order to not contact the victim.
Justin Moore was arrested Dec. 3, 2019, in connection with the alleged assault. He was 31 years old at the time.
According to arresting documents, issues about money and an alleged extramarital affair led to an altercation that resulted in Moore’s arrest on suspicion of domestic violence.
Moore signed a diversion agreement in July that remains in effect for one year, which calls for a number of stipulations. If he completes the terms of his diversion agreement, the criminal charges would be permanently dismissed.
According to court documents, Moore cannot commit any new violations, other than traffic infractions. He must not “harass, molest, intimidate, retaliate against or tamper with any victims ... to the crime.”
Moore must complete any assigned therapeutic, corrective or rehabilitative services, including a domestic violence assessment.
Asked to describe the offense, all Moore wrote was: “My wife and I got into an argument.”
Sixth Judicial District Attorney Christian Champagne said the victim in the case “agreed and endorsed” the diversion agreement.
“Her main focus was he engage in domestic violence treatment,” Champagne said. “Mr. Moore is engaging in domestic violence treatment and has been doing well so far.”
Champagne added, “We think the diversion agreement was a just outcome in the case.”
Durango Police Chief Bob Brammer said Moore resigned from the department shortly after the incident in 2019.
According to the arrest affidavit, deputies responded to a home in the Bayfield area after a woman contacted law enforcement with concerns for another woman’s well-being. The reporting party shared photographs with law enforcement that showed what appeared to be bruises on the victim’s body, according to the affidavit.
Deputies spoke with the alleged victim and observed the wounds.
According to the affidavit, Moore and the alleged victim argued about Moore’s birthday plans and about “him having money for beer and not money for things around the house,” according to arresting documents.
The two had also argued about Moore’s “infidelity” in the past and, when he left his phone in his wife’s room, she searched it “to see if her suspicions of infidelity were true,” according to the affidavit. She found a message to another woman saying, “Goodnight I love you,” and took pictures of the texts.
Moore noticed her taking photographs and “became aggressive, and tried to take both phones away from her,” according to the affidavit. The victim told law enforcement she tried to lock herself in a bathroom but couldn’t get the door shut and tried to keep it closed with her leg.
“While she was holding the door Justin kicked it in, breaking the bottom half of the door in the process, and making contact with her leg,” according to arresting documents.
The victim fell back and Moore took both phones and left the bathroom. Deputies identified a large bruise on the victim’s right leg.
The victim followed Moore outside to get her phone back and, after he gave it to her, the couple argued before he “arm barred” her, according to law enforcement. The victim told deputies she did not call law enforcement because “she was scared to (call) because Justin told her that all the cops in the county hate her because she called a month ago.”
“Also, she said Justin told her that no one would believe her anyway because he is a cop,” according to the affidavit. “Lastly, she mentioned in her messages to (the woman who reported the alleged assault) that he has mentally abused her to the point where she is scared.”
jromeo@durangoherald.com
