WISCONSIN
Former Milwaukee Detective Rodolfo Gomez, Jr. plead guilty Wednesday in federal court to depriving an in-custody suspect of his civil rights under color of law.
In connection with his guilty plea, Gomez, 49, admitted that he repeatedly punched the victim in the face and head and kneed him in the torso, all while one of the victim’s hands was handcuffed to a wall in an interview room.
Gomez stopped punching and kicking the victim when a police lieutenant who heard yelling entered the room. In pleading guilty, Gomez acknowledged that the force used was unreasonable and that the victim suffered bodily injury.
“Protecting citizens’ civil rights is a top priority of the United States Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice, said U.S. Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad. “So is working to enhance the public trust in police. This case involved criminal conduct that implicates both of these priorities. When a law enforcement officer abuses his authority in this way, he not only violates the civil rights of a person in police custody, but he also undermines public trust and makes it more difficult for good, dedicated police officers to do their jobs.”