ALABAMA
A federal grand jury unsealed an indictment Monday charging Michael Brandon Smirnoff, 25, a former officer at the Tallassee Police Department in Tallassee, Alabama, slamming and tasing handcuffed suspects, according to officials.
Smirnoff is charged with two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, and one count of obstruction of justice.
The indictment alleges that Smirnoff twice used unlawful force on arrestees and submitted a false report to cover up one of the incidents.
In the first incident, on March 29, 2016, Smirnoff slammed a handcuffed man to the ground, then used unreasonable force while placing him into a police vehicle.
In a second incident on July 5, 2015, Smirnoff tased a man who had already been placed in handcuffs and was not physically resisting.
As a result of these unjustified uses of force, both victims sustained bodily injuries. The indictment further charges that Smirnoff obstructed justice by submitting a false report about the second incident.
If convicted, Smirnoff is facing up to 10 years in prison. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.