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Two former Arkansas sheriff’s deputies sentenced to prison for federal civil rights offenses

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FORT SMITH — Two former Crawford County, Arkansas, sheriff’s deputies, have been sentenced
to federal prison for federal civil rights offenses for using unlawful force on a man they arrested.
The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearings, which took
place in the United States District Court in Fort Smith.
Zackary King, age 28, was sentenced to 12 months, in federal prison followed by one year
of supervised release for Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law. On October 9, 2024, Levi
White, age 33, was sentenced to 63 months, in federal prison followed by two years of supervised
release for Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law.
According to court documents, White, King, and a third officer approached a man identified as R.W.
in a gas station parking lot on Aug. 21, 2022, during their investigation into a person threatening
a store attendant. R.W. lunged at White and tackled him, then all three officers quickly subdued
R.W. and pinned him to the ground. After R.W. was pinned to the ground and no longer fighting the

officers, King kicked R.W. in the back and struck R.W. once in the midsection with his fist. At
approximately the same time, White punched R.W. at least nine times in the head, then lifted R.W.’s
head and slammed it into the pavement. The third officer did not strike R.W. R.W. suffered head
injuries from the assault.
U.S. Attorney Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The FBI Little Rock Field Office, Arkansas State Police, and ARKTrust Task Force investigated the
case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dustin Roberts and Devon Still for the Western District of Arkansas and
Special Litigation Counsel Michael J. Songer and Trial Attorney Lia Rettammel of the Civil Rights
Division prosecuted the case.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at
www.pacer.gov.



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