{"id":17822,"date":"2015-11-30T16:53:00","date_gmt":"2015-12-01T00:53:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=17822"},"modified":"2015-12-04T17:41:23","modified_gmt":"2015-12-05T01:41:23","slug":"two-l-a-deputies-sentenced-to-prison-for-beating-a-handcuffed-visitor-to-the-jail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=17822","title":{"rendered":"Two L.A. Deputies Sentenced to Prison for Handcuffing and Beating a Jail Visitor"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

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A\u00a0federal judge today sentenced two former Los Angeles Sheriff\u2019s deputies to prison for handcuffing and beating a visitor at the Men’s Central Jail, officials said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Former deputies Fernando Luviano,<\/strong> 37, was sentenced to seven years in prison, and Sussie Ayala,<\/strong> 30, was sentenced to six years in prison.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"U.S.<\/a>
U.S. District Court Judge George H. King<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0U.S. District Court Judge George H. King<\/strong> sentenced the two defendants, who were each found guilty by a federal jury in June of violating the civil rights of the beating victim and falsifying records about the incident.<\/span><\/p>\n

In court today, Judge King said that Ayala\u2019s actions \u201cdemonstrates that this really was a practice\u201d of using excessive force against people inside the jail.<\/span><\/p>\n

Following the imposition of the sentences, Judge King remanded both <\/span>Luviano and Ayala into custody.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs Judge King said today, the lengthy prison sentences imposed in this case send a clear message that no law enforcement officer is above the law,\u201d said U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker.<\/strong> \u201cThese two former deputy sheriffs failed to uphold their oaths and abused their positions of power when they beat and pepper sprayed a handcuffed victim.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Another deputy sheriff who also was found guilty at trial \u2013 former Sgt. Eric Gonzalez<\/strong> \u2013 was sentenced earlier this month to eight years in federal prison and also was immediately taken into custody<\/span><\/p>\n

The jury that convicted Luviano, Ayala\u00a0<\/span>and Gonzalez found that they violated the civil rights of the victim in 2011 when they beat the man and caused serious bodily injury.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"U.S.<\/a>Ayala and Gonzalez were additionally convicted of conspiring to violate the victim\u2019s civil rights by using unreasonable force.<\/span><\/p>\n

Such conduct undermines the public\u2019s trust in law enforcement and all the good work that peace officers do every day to protect our communities, said prosecutors.<\/span><\/p>\n

Two other defendants involved in the incident \u2013 Pantamitr Zunggeemoge<\/strong> and Noel Womack<\/strong> \u2013 previously plead guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 25.<\/span><\/p>\n

Last month, a federal grand jury indicted <\/span>a sixth deputy in relation to the incident at the Visiting Center. Former Deputy Byron Dredd<\/strong> has <\/span>plead not guilty.<\/span><\/p>\n

The evidence presented at the trial of the three deputies showed that the victim Gabriel Carrillo and his girlfriend went to the jail to visit the woman\u2019s incarcerated brother on February 26, 2011. Both visitors were in the possession of cell phones, which is prohibited under jail rules, officials said.<\/span><\/p>\n

When the phones were discovered, the victim was handcuffed and brought into an employee break room, where he was beaten and sprayed with pepper spray. The victim was later transferred to the hospital by paramedics, according to authorities.<\/span><\/p>\n

In court documents that argued <\/span>Luviano had a reputation of being \u201cheavy-handed\u201d with the violent prisoners he guarded at the jail, prosecutors said that Luviano\u00a0<\/span>\u201cinitiated the excessive force and used the most force against\u201d the victim.<\/span><\/p>\n

Prosecutors wrote in a brief<\/strong> that his \u201cviolent crime and cover-up are serious offenses that harm the specific victim and tarnish the public trust in law enforcement.\u201d Judge King agreed, finding there was \u201cevidence of prior violent behavior toward inmates\u201d by Luviano\u00a0<\/span>at Men\u2019s Central Jail.<\/span><\/p>\n

In papers related to Ayala\u2019s sentencing, prosecutors wrote that \u201c[s]he, like the other defendants\u00a0<\/span>in this case, abused her power by participating in a beating of a handcuffed man, lying to cover up her and her partners\u2019 misdeeds, jailing the victim of their abuse, and putting that victim at risk of prosecution and a significant sentence for crimes he did not commit.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

(Evidence Used in Court of Gabriel Carrillo Being Interviewed in Jail)<\/strong><\/span>
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