Deputy Enters Guilty Plea in Striking of Hospital Patient
A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy who punched and pointed his service revolver at a man undergoing hospital treatment pleaded guilty Monday to a misdemeanor federal civil rights violation.
Under the plea agreement signed by defense counsel and the U.S. Attorney’s office, Deputy Henry Myers, 30, will resign from the Sheriff’s Department within two weeks and avoid jobs in law enforcement or with a security firm while under court supervision.
Myers, assigned to the Antelope Valley sheriff’s station, admitted that he violated the law when he struck Guillermo Soto while Soto was in the hospital emergency room of Antelope Valley Hospital Medical Center.
Soto’s hands and legs were bound by leather restraints and blood was being drawn from his arm when Myers drew his gun and pointed it at Soto’s head, Myers admitted.
Myers then punched Soto “three to four times,” in the upper thigh.
Sentencing has been set for Jan. 5 by U.S. District Judge Dickran Tevrizian. Myers could be sentenced to up to one year in jail and a $100,000 fine.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
