Armando Bustamante, Civil Rights Violation, Tennessee 2021

A Memphis police officer has been held accountable for brutally assaulting a man in his custody without justification. Armando Bustamante, a former Memphis Police Department (MPD) officer, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and one year of supervised release for violating an arrestee’s civil rights by using excessive force against him.

According to court documents, Armando Bustamante admitted that, in January 2021, while he was on duty as an MPD officer, he used his service weapon and hands to strike an arrestee in the head without legal justification. The assault caused bodily injury to the man.

The assault occurred in Memphis, Tennessee, and has resulted in severe consequences for the former police officer. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee worked in conjunction with the FBI Memphis Field Office to investigate the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Pritchard for the Western District of Tennessee and former Trial Attorney Nikhil Ramnaney of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.

The Justice Department has made it clear that law enforcement officers who abuse their authority and violate federal civil rights laws will be held accountable. ‘This former Memphis police officer is being held accountable for violently assaulting a man in his custody without any justification,’ said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

The case highlights the importance of maintaining public trust in law enforcement. ‘Public trust in law enforcement is essential to public safety,’ said U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee. ‘When an officer violates that trust, it makes policing less effective and far more dangerous for both officers and average citizens.’

The outcome of the case serves as a reminder that law enforcement officers who abuse their authority will face severe consequences. ‘Today’s sentencing highlights that law enforcement officers who abuse their authority and deny an individual their civil rights will be held accountable,’ said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division.

Related Federal Cases