Former Kentucky sheriff's deputy sentenced to 110 months in prison for violating constitutional rights | News

Tanner M. Abbott, a former Kentucky sheriff's deputy, was convicted in March of violating the constitutional rights of several people he arrested while working as a police officer in the Bluegrass State. On Thursday, he was sentenced to 110 months in prison.

Abbot, 31, was convicted of five felonies and one misdemeanor for incidents involving several people he arrested, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The charges included using excessive force on four people arrested by Abbot, making and conspiring to make false police reports, and conducting an unlawful search of an arrestee.

“This defendant habitually and regularly abused his authority and used his badge to evade accountability for years,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “This conviction should send a strong message that such abuses by law enforcement will not be tolerated. The Department of Justice is steadfast in its commitment to holding law enforcement accountable when they violate the civil and constitutional rights of their nation's citizens.

The FBI's Louisville field office was responsible for the two-year investigation into Abbot's case. The evidence against the former sheriff's deputy included “a broader pattern of abuse of authority throughout his career.” This included frequent use of excessive force against criminal suspects and a habit by Abbot of boasting of such feats. The FBI discovered text messages on Abbott's work cell phone in which he “boasted, sometimes in explicit and vulgar terms” about the injuries he caused to several of the people he arrested.

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Additionally, two witnesses testified against Abbott that they were victims of physical violence during an arrest. The investigation also revealed that Abbott sometimes took photos of these injuries and texted them to friends, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Abbott was also convicted of obstructing justice due to the false testimony he provided during his hearing.

“Instead of protecting and serving the community, the defendant physically abused people – even bragging about the injuries he caused,” United States Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV for the Eastern District of Kentucky said of the Abbott case. “This is not about law enforcement; This is brazen criminal conduct. The community deserved better. Fortunately, he now has a criminal sentence that he deserves.