Berthoud cop accused of beating daughter, locking her in rooms

BERTHOUD - A Berthoud police officer was arrested Wednesday on four charges of child abuse and one of false imprisonment, according to Loveland Police Department.
Jeremy Yachik, 35, is free on a $1,500 cash bond after Loveland police came to his home with a warrant.

A big part of the investigation focuses on a video recorded by Yachik's ex-fiance, Ashley St. Roberts, 26. According to an arrest affidavit, the video shows officer Yachik abusing his 15-year-old daughter because she ate carrots from the refrigerator.
Yachik is accused of choking, force feeding, binding her hands with zip ties, locking her in rooms, handcuffing her and restricting her from eating. He's also accused of forcing his daughter to eat ghost peppers for lying and confining her in a dark laundry room.
According to the affidavit, Officer Yachik admits to hitting his daughter and restricting her from eating food. He's not the only officer in Berthoud who is being investigated. The town's top cop, Police Chief Glenn Johnson, is on paid administrative leave right now while Loveland Police conduct a criminal investigation on him. St. Roberts has accused Chief Johnson of covering up the video, the affidavit says.
No charges had been filed against Johnson by Wednesday, according to Larimer County District Attorney's Office. Loveland police have declined comment on the case.
Yachik if convicted could face up to 18 months in jail on each child abuse count and up to a year in jail on the false imprisonment count. He has no previous criminal counts but has had multiple financial lawsuits filed against him by creditors since about 2009, according to Colorado court records.
Yachik's arrest comes during what appears to be a contentious domestic dispute between Yachik and Saint-Roberts. Yachik and a 7-year-old with the same last name filed for a temporary restraining order against Saint-Roberts on March 25. But the hearing was apparently canceled the same day it was filed, according to Colorado court records.
Also March 25, Saint-Roberts was charged wihth domestic violence including third-degree assault and obstructing telephone service. She's pleaded not guilty and is set for trial Dec. 16. In June, Saint-Roberts was charged with violating a protection order and in that case is scheduled for a Dec. 18 trial. Both criminal cases involving her were investigated by Loveland police.
A child-custody case between Yachik and Saint-Roberts remains open and is scheduled for a telephone conference Nov. 4, state court records indicate.