Former Alpharetta police officer may face charges in K-9 incident

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Former Alpharetta Police Officer Michael Esposito may face criminal charges this March stemming from a July 2021 use of force incident.

In an official 2021 review of the incident, the Alpharetta Police Department found there was no violation of federal, state or departmental policy.

Despite the verdict of the police review, Esposito may now face charges from a Fulton County grand jury.

Alpharetta City Councilmembers passed a resolution Jan. 23 that provides legal representation to former and current employees of the city acting within the course and scope of their duties. The vote came after Esposito had reached out to request legal aid.

Speaking at the January meeting, City Administrator Chris Lagerbloom said the city had been notified by the Fulton County District Attorney that she intends to present the charges before a grand jury in March. Lagerbloom said the city will provide up to $10,000 per year in legal aid to Esposito until the point that a formal indictment is made by the grand jury.

Alpharetta police were dispatched to Travis Moya’s home for a domestic disturbance call July 25, 2021.

In the following minutes, Esposito released the K9 Ares, who attacked Moya’s upper arm, leaving “large amounts of blood and fatty tissue coming out of the wound,” according to the initial incident report.

Moya’s family said he was not resisting.

Moya was charged with felony willful obstruction of law enforcement officers and misdemeanor obstruction of law enforcement. The charges were dropped June 2, 2022, after Fulton County Assistant District Attorney Melissa Roth filed a nolle prosequi order due to insufficient evidence to support a finding of guilt.

Moya and Stewart Miller Simmons Trial Attorneys of Atlanta filed a civil suit against Esposito and Officers J.J. Frudden and Chrisopher Benfield; the City of Alpharetta; Police Chief John Robison; and Lt. R.A. Splawn in 2022.

Moya’s attorneys say the incident resulted in Moya suffering “excruciating physical injuries and pain and suffering, permanent disfiguration to his arm, loss of wages, humiliation, significant emotional trauma and distress, and other damages as a direct and proximate result of Defendants’ violations of law.”

The civil case is still pending. Assistant City Administrator James Drinkard said Alpharetta cannot comment on pending legal matters per city policy.