Two former deputies from Crawford County, Arkansas, have been sentenced to federal prison for civil rights offenses related to the use of unlawful force during an arrest. The sentencing hearings took place in the United States District Court in Fort Smith under Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey.
Zackary King, aged 28, received a sentence of 12 months in federal prison followed by one year of supervised release for Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law. Levi White, aged 33, was sentenced earlier on October 9, 2024, to 63 months in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release for the same charge.
Court documents reveal that on August 21, 2022, White and King were involved in an incident at a gas station parking lot with a man identified as R.W., during an investigation into threats made against a store attendant. After R.W. lunged at White and tackled him, all three officers subdued him. While pinned down and no longer resisting, King kicked R.W. and struck him in the midsection. Simultaneously, White punched R.W. multiple times and slammed his head into the pavement causing head injuries.
The case was announced by U.S. Attorney Clay Fowlkes from the Western District of Arkansas. It was investigated by several agencies including the FBI Little Rock Field Office and Arkansas State Police.
Prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dustin Roberts and Devon Still from the Western District of Arkansas along with Special Litigation Counsel Michael J. Songer and Trial Attorney Lia Rettammel from the Civil Rights Division.
