A federal grand jury indicted the sheriff of Franklin County, Arkansas for beating suspects in 2017 and 2018, according to federal authorities.
Anthony Boen, the current sheriff of Franklin County, Arkansas, is charged with three counts of deprivation of rights under the color of law, officials stated.T
The indictment alleges that Boen used unreasonable force to punish pretrial detainees on three separate occasions, officials stated.
If convicted, Boen faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, according to officials.
Judge Mark E. Ford released Boen on a $5,000 bond. His next court date is set for February 3, 2020, according to Fox16.com news.
According to the judge, Fox 16 reported that the conditions of the bond require Boen to relinquish all duties as sheriff except for signing checks. He will also not be allowed inside the sheriff’s office and will not be allowed to possess weapons.
Sheriff Boen was elected as Franklin County Sheriff in 2011.
On Sept. 14, 2017, Boen allegedly punched a detainee multiples times in the head and body while the detainee was handcuffed and shackled in the back of a police car. T
The indictment further alleges that, on Nov. 21, 2018, Boen pushed a detainee onto the floor and grabbed his hair or beard during an interrogation.
Two weeks later on Dec. 3, 2018, Boen allegedly struck a detainee multiple times in the head while the detainee was shackled to a bench inside the Franklin County Jail and was not resisting.
The indictment alleges that all three detainees suffered bodily injury as a result of Boen’s actions.
Boen is presumed innocent unless found guilty.
DOJ NOTED:
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon T. Carter of the Western District of Arkansas and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Michael J. Songer.