Former Desoto Parish Sheriff’s Office Correctional Officer Charged with Federal Civil Rights and Obstruction Offenses Involving Excessive Force Incident
SHREVEPORT, La. – A federal grand jury in Shreveport, Louisiana, has returned a
three-count indictment charging former DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office (DPSO) Correctional
Officer Javarrea Pouncy with federal civil rights violations for willfully using unreasonable
force against a detainee, failing to obtain medical care for the detainee and obstructing justice.
According to the indictment, on September 27, 2019, Pouncy, acting in his official
capacity as a DPSO correctional officer, used unreasonable force against a detainee by
repeatedly striking him in the head and body without legal justification while the detainee
was being booked into the DeSoto Parish jail. The indictment further alleges that the assault
caused bodily injury to the detainee. In addition, the indictment alleges that Pouncy knew
that the detainee had serious medical needs and willfully failed to obtain necessary medical
care for him.
The indictment also charges Pouncy with obstruction of justice for knowingly
falsifying and making a false entry in a DPSO report with the intent to impede, obstruct and
influence an investigation into the assault. Count one of the indictment charges Pouncy for
his unreasonable use of force; count two charges Pouncy for his failure to obtain medical care;
and count three charges him with filing the false report.
If convicted, Pouncy faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison each for counts
one and two, and 20 years in prison for count three.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights
Division, U.S. Attorney Brandon Brown for the Western District of Louisiana and Special
Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams Jr. of the FBI New Orleans Field Office made the
announcement. The FBI New Orleans Field Office is investigating the case. Assistant U.S.
Attorney Seth Reeg for the Western District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Erin Monju of
the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless
and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
