Former Bryan County, Oklahoma Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Indicted for Civil Rights Violations and Obstruction of Justice

WASHINGTON—A federal grand jury sitting in Muskogee, Okla., returned an indictment today charging former Bryan County, Okla., Sheriff’s Lieutenant Kevin Bennett Holt, 48, of Achille, Okla., with federal civil rights violations and related acts of obstruction of justice, the Justice Department announced.

The six-count indictment charges Holt with criminal civil rights violations for tasing a female arrestee on two occasions and for tasing two male inmates during incidents in September and November 2010 in Bryan County. Specifically, the indictment charges Holt with deprivation of rights under color of law, falsifying a written statement, and lying to the FBI.

An indictment is only an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Upon conviction, the civil rights counts in the indictment each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The false statement count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years, and the charge of lying to the FBI carries a maximum sentence of five years. Each count also carries a maximum fine of $250,000.

This case is being investigated by the Oklahoma City Division of the FBI, and is being jointly prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Dean Burris from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, and Trial Attorney Ryan R. McKinstry from the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.