HENDRY COUNTY, Fla. — A jury in a federal courtroom found a former Hendry County deputy guilty of excessive force and falsifying officials records.
The obstruction charge carries a maximum 20 years in prison while the other charge is 10 years, a spokesman for the Department of Justice told Fox 4.
Back in July 2023, body worn camera video showed then-Hendry County Deputy Tyler Williams detaining a suspect.
He slammed a man to the ground, who hit his chin on the asphalt and lost consciousness. In the video, you can see the handcuffed man leaning against a patrol vehicle.
With his hands behind his back, the man was unable to brace his fall.
Investigators say Williams lied on a report, saying he feared the suspect might have had a weapon.
He was indicted and charged in April 2024 for depriving civil rights and destruct, alter or falsify records in a federal investigation.
The verdict comes after a judge declared a mistrial in November 2024 after that jury was deadlocked following three days of deliberations.
“When I watched the body camera (video) I was shocked, and I was appalled." Hendry County Sheriff Steve Whidden told reporters back in 2023.
Williams worked for the Fort Myers Police Department for seven years and was fired in 2021 after an internal investigation claimed he violated four policies during a traffic stop that lead to the death of a toddler.
However, all criminal charges were later dismissed.
It's not clear when he will be sentenced.
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