{"id":16984,"date":"2015-11-02T15:27:09","date_gmt":"2015-11-02T23:27:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=16984"},"modified":"2015-11-02T15:31:28","modified_gmt":"2015-11-02T23:31:28","slug":"former-l-a-sheriffs-sgt-sentenced-to-eight-years-for-jail-beating","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=16984","title":{"rendered":"Former L.A. Sheriff’s Sgt. Sentenced to Eight Years for Jail Beating"},"content":{"rendered":"

LOS ANGELES<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

\"Mens<\/a>A federal judge today sentenced a former sergeant with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department<\/strong> to eight years in prison for his involvement in the beating of a handcuffed visitor at the Men’s Central Jail, officials announced today.<\/span><\/p>\n

U.S. District Court Judge George H. King<\/strong> immediately remanded Eric Gonzalez<\/strong>, 46, into custody. The judge said \u00a0Gonzalez “abused his authority and corrupted the very system he was\u00a0<\/span>sworn to uphold.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

During today\u2019s sentencing hearing, Judge King said that when law enforcement officers \u201cthink they are above the law, the entire rule of law is threatened.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Gonzalez, who was a 12\u00ad-year veteran of Sheriff’s Department<\/strong> at the time of the offense, was one of\u00a0three former deputies who were found guilty in June of civil rights charges.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the government’s sentencing memo,<\/strong> officials said “instead of using his position to educate and advance a new generation of law\u00a0enforcement officers that would make the LASD proud, [Gonzalez] used this to\u00a0frustrate the goals of true law\u00ad enforcement.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Adding, ‘”As is clear from the pre-\u00adsentence report, to this day he has accepted no responsibility and\u00a0seems to argue that he was \u2018right.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The case against Gonzalez and the other deputies is the result of an investigation by the\u00a0FBI, and is one in a series of cases resulting from an investigation into corruption and civil rights\u00a0abuses at county jail facilities in downtown Los Angeles.<\/span><\/p>\n

As a result of the FBI investigation, 15\u00a0current or former members of the Los Angeles Sheriff\u2019s Department have now been convicted\u00a0of federal charges.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the trial, a jury determined Gonzalez, along with former Los Angeles Sheriff’s Deputies Fernando\u00a0Luviano<\/strong> and Sussie Ayala,<\/strong> violated the civil rights of the victim, Gabriel Carrillo, in 2011 when they beat the man\u00a0and caused bodily injury.<\/span><\/p>\n

The jury also determined that all three defendants falsified records<\/strong>\u00a0when they prepared reports claiming that Carrillo was not handcuffed during the incident.\u00a0Gonzalez and Ayala were additionally convicted of conspiring to violate the victim\u2019s civil rights by\u00a0using unreasonable force.<\/span><\/p>\n

Two other defendants who were named in a federal grand jury indictment in late 2013 \u2013\u00a0Pantamitr<\/strong> Zunggeemoge<\/strong> and Noel Womack<\/strong> \u2013 previously plead guilty.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cToday\u2019s lengthy prison sentence demonstrates that individuals who abuse their positions\u00a0of trust as law enforcement officers will be held accountable,\u201d said U.S. Attorney Eileen\u00a0M. Decker.<\/strong> \u201cThe former deputy sheriffs who participated in the scheme to violate the civil rights\u00a0of a handcuffed man who was beaten without cause cast a stain on the entire Sheriff\u2019s\u00a0Department, where virtually all of the deputies serve admirably.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Gonzalez was the leader of the conspiracy to violate the victim\u2019s civil rights, according to a\u00a0sentencing memo filed by prosecutors.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhile [the victim] may have\u00a0suffered the bruises and cuts, the negative impact of defendant Gonzalez\u2019s actions does not\u00a0end with [the victim], nor is [he] the only victim. The actions undertaken by the defendants in this\u00a0case have impacted the public trust and thus extend beyond\u00a0[the victim] and his family,\u201d prosecutors wrote.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Gonzalez’s actions cast a pall on his department and dishonored the badge he wore\u00a0for many years,\u201d said David Bowdich, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles\u00a0Field Office.<\/strong> \u201cWe must be vigilant when it comes to abuse\u00adof\u00adpower allegations, and prosecute\u00a0them when warranted. However, we should also recognize and respect those who wear the badge with pride and serve Los Angeles County honorably.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The evidence presented at trial indicated the following:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The victim and his girlfriend went to the jail to\u00a0visit the woman\u2019s incarcerated brother on February 26, 2011.<\/span><\/p>\n

Both visitors were in the\u00a0possession of cell phones, which are prohibited under jail rules. <\/span><\/p>\n

When the phones were\u00a0discovered, the victim was handcuffed and brought into an employee break room, where\u00a0prosecutors said he was subject to a \u201csavage beating\u201d and sprayed with a burning agent similar to pepper spray.<\/span><\/p>\n

The victim was later transferred to the hospital by paramedics.<\/span><\/p>\n

Following the incident, Gonzalez instructed Zunggeemoge how to write a report that falsely\u00a0described how the victim swung his left elbow and struck Zunggeemoge, which prompted the\u00a0use of force. Subsequent reports by other defendants also falsely described how the victim attempted to escape from the break room.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ayala and Luviano are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge King on Nov. 30. Ayala\u00a0faces up to 40 years in federal prison, and Luviano up\u00a0to 30 years.<\/span><\/p>\n

Last month, a federal grand jury indicted a sixth deputy in relation to the incident at the\u00a0Visiting Center.<\/span><\/p>\n

Former Deputy Byron Dredd<\/strong> plead not guilty on Friday to conspiracy to\u00a0violate civil rights and two counts of making false reports, and he was ordered to stand trial on\u00a0Dec. 22.<\/span><\/p>\n

(June 2015 TV report)<\/p>\n