L.A. sheriff's deputies sentenced to federal prison for assaulting jail visitor

Two former Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department deputies were sentenced to federal prison on November 30 for their role in the beating of a visitor to the Men’s Central Jail back in 2011. Gabriel Carillo was visiting his brother at the facility when he was found to have a cell phone in his pocket. He was detained, kicked, and beaten after “mouthing off” to deputies. Sussie Ayala was sentenced to six years in prison for her role in “instigating” the attack (she called for the other deputies to intervene when Carrillo mouthed off) and Fernando Luviano was ordered to serve seven years for his role in the beating and the subsequent falsification of the arrest report. 

Eric Gonzalez, a former deputy who supervised the attack, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison earlier this month. You can read about that—as well as view a video the deputies took of Carrillo after assaulting him—here.

One key to the former officers’ convictions was the testimony of two fellow deputies against their onetime colleagues. The other central point was whether or not the jury believed that Carrillo had been handcuffed while he was beaten. The officers concocted the story that Carrillo had attacked them while being fingerprinted. The jury was shown photos of Carrillo’s wrists, which had deep red marks on them, showing he had been tightly handcuffed at the time.

Peter Eliasberg, legal director of the ACLU of Southern California, welcomed the convictions but remained concerned that more was not being done by the district attorney’s office to go after abusive cops:

While we welcome the federal court's action and the United State Justice Department's role in ensuring that the deputies were held accountable, we remain deeply concerned that not enough has changed in the district attorney’s office.

The district attorney's office that declined to prosecute the sheriff’s officials who brutally beat Mr. Carrillo and lied to cover up their crime is the same office that failed to bring any action against police in Gardena who shot two unarmed men despite video tape evidence capturing the shooting.

The convictions of Gonzalez, Ayala, and Luviano came as a result of an investigation of misconduct at the jail by the FBI. So far, more than one dozen sheriff’s deputies have been convicted of crimes. You can read more about the case here.