BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A Buffalo police officer has been arrested and pleaded not guilty after being accused of threatening to harm his ex girlfriend and her new partner, according to court documents.
Officer Benjamin Coughlin is also accused of tracking her location.
Coughlin was arraigned at Buffalo City Court on Monday and has been charged with first-degree harassment and fourth-degree stalking.
7 News was not granted permission to film inside the courtroom but spoke with Coughlin's lawyer, Thomas Eoannou, after the arraignment.
"He was arraigned, he pled not guilty, and he was released on his own recognizance. He's been charged with two low-level misdemeanors, two B misdemeanors, and again, he's pled not guilty," Eoannou said.
Along with the criminal charges, a temporary extreme risk protection order has been filed against Coughlin, who has been an active officer with the Buffalo Police Department since 2016. That protection order is a separate civil process that allows law enforcement to seize an individual's firearms. Those documents detail the accusations further, saying:
"Buffalo Police Threat Management Unit was notified regarding a domestic incident and threats made to kill someone due to her dating someone new. Respondent sent text messages to ex-girlfriend stating he would hurt and kill the male she went on a date with after obtaining and sending screenshot images of the ex-girlfriend and the male on a date he requested from the restaurant. This caused concern and fear for the ex-girlfriend for the male."
WATCH: Buffalo officer pleads not guilty after allegedly threatening to harm ex-girlfriend, her new partner
Reports show Coughlin is also accused of threatening to find out who his ex-girlfriend went out with by "pulling camera footage." It's not clear if he allegedly threatened to do that in his capacity as a police officer.
The Buffalo Police Department has opened an investigation. Coughlin is currently suspended without pay as the investigation is underway.
"There's been a date set for early November," Eoannou said. "We'll be transferred up to the domestic violence court, and that's where we'll file the appropriate motions."
Coughlin is set to appear in court on November 4 and faces a maximum sentence of 90 days in jail.
A temporary order of protection has been issued for his ex-girlfriend.
