PITTSBURGH— A federal grand jury indicted a former police officer on charges that he punch a suspect in the face and then lied about it afterwards in a police report, according to officials.
The two-count Indictment named Norman L. Howard, 42, of Grindstone, Pa., as the sole defendant accused of Deprivation of Civil Rights and Falsification of a Document, U.S. Attorney David Hickton announced Thursday.
The incident took place on May 26, 2013. Howard was working at the Redstone Township Police Department when the incident occurred.
Howard made false statements in a police report regarding the incident, claiming that the man had shoved him and had resisted arrest, officials said.
Howard is facing up to 30 years behind bars and a fine of up to $500,000, officials stated.
The case was investigated by the FBI.
Howard is presumed innocent until proven guilty.