Two former Crawford County, Arkansas, sheriff’s deputies, Levi White, 34, and Zackary King, 28, have pleaded guilty to federal civil rights offenses for using unlawful force on a man they arrested.
“The defendants swore an oath to uphold the law, then violated that oath and abused their power by assaulting a person who was pinned to the ground and not resisting,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
“The videos from this incident are a shocking display of the violent deprivation of civil rights committed by these officers,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Fowlkes for the Western District of Arkansas.
“The violent and abusive actions of these two men, who were sworn to serve and protect our community, are unacceptable,” said Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division.
“Disgraceful actions, like those of the two Crawford County sheriff’s deputies, negatively impact all members of Arkansas law enforcement,” said Special Agent in Charge Alicia D. Corder of the FBI Little Rock Field Office.
According to court documents, White, King, and a third officer approached a man identified as R.W. in a gas station parking lot on Aug. 21, 2022, during an investigation. After pinning R.W. to the ground, King kicked and struck R.W., while White punched and slammed R.W.'s head into the pavement, causing head injuries.
Sentencing hearings for the deputies will be scheduled at a later date. White faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. King faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $100,000.
The FBI Little Rock Field Office and ARKTrust Task Force investigated the case, with Special Litigation Counsel Michael J. Songer and Trial Attorney Lia Rettammel of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dustin Roberts and Devon Still prosecuting the case in the Western District of Arkansas.