Police Officer Allegedly 'Wiped' His Cell Phone of 'Harassing' Texts

The trial of the suspended Barrington police officer accused of cyber-harassing his ex-wife with text messages continued in Superior Court on Monday and Tuesday, July 15-16.

It is expected to resume today, July 17, on the charges of felony obstruction of justice and misdemeanor cyber-harassment.

Sgt. Joseph Andreozzi allegedly harassed his ex-wife with the text messages before using some type of electronic eraser that wiped his cell phone clean while it was impounded in an evidence box with the RI State Police, according to a story in the Providence Journal.

A Verizon employee testified on Tuesday that he helped Andreozzi through the process because the officer said he had left the phone at his girlfriend's home and needed to delete private information, including photos of other women, according to WPRI.com.

A State Police officer has testified that Andreozzi used the Lookout program to log into an email account and “wipe” the texts from his cellular phone while it was stored in the State Police barracks in Lincoln. Andreozzi purchased the device on Aug. 30 last year at the Barrington Verizon store, the State Police officer said.

Andreozzi had been taken to the barracks earlier that day after he was arrested for allegedly scaring his ex-wife, Christine, with the texts and phone calls.

Andreozzi’s ex-wife gave her phone to the State Police, which contained his messages. The State Police said they also obtained by court order Andreozzi’s messages and calls from Verizon in New Jersey.

Andreozzi’s attorney, John Harwood, said the exchanges between him and his ex-wife were part of a “marital disagreement” – not cyberstalking or harassment. 

And Harwood said Andreozzi went into the Verizon store on Waseca Avenue simply to get some help to remove personal and medical information about his children. That’s whey he reportedly refused to let State Police officers seize his phone.

Prosecutor Stephen Regine recited numerous messages Andreozzi sent to his ex-wife. Included among them was one that said simply “die,” Regine said. 

Harwood, in turn, said Andreozzi’s text message also included: “I still love you” and “wish I could take it all back, I’m sorry.”