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The Justice Department today announced that a former Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Officer, Richard Thomas Scavone, 49, was indicted on charges of violating the civil rights of A.O., an unnamed victim, by using excessive force during an arrest and charges of obstruction of justice for falsifying a report.  The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in the District of Nevada.

According to the indictment, on Jan. 6, 2015, while acting as a police officer, Scavone allegedly assaulted “A.O.” resulting in bodily injury.  The indictment alleges that Scavone grabbed the victim around the neck with his hand and threw A.O. to the ground; struck A.O. in the forehead with an open palm; twice slammed A.O.’s head onto the hood of his patrol vehicle; and slammed A.O. into the door of his patrol vehicle.  The obstruction charge alleges that on or about Jan. 6, 2015, Scavone knowingly falsified and made false entries in a document with the intent of impeding, obstructing and influencing the investigation and proper administration of a matter within the jurisdiction of the FBI.

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the civil rights count, and a maximum sentence of 20 years and a $250,000 fine on the obstruction count.

An indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Las Vegas Division.  The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Patricia Sumner of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas Dickinson and Phillip Smith of the District of Nevada.