Robert Dartt, a 46-year-old former Cook County correctional officer from Jacksonville, Fla., is facing federal charges for allegedly using excessive force against a detained inmate in 2011 — a brutal episode that left the victim with documented bodily injury, according to a federal indictment unsealed Thursday in Chicago.
The indictment charges Dartt with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law, a federal civil rights violation, for conduct that occurred while he was on duty at the Cook County Department of Corrections on October 31, 2011. Prosecutors allege the force used was unreasonable, crossing the line from lawful enforcement into criminal abuse of power.
In addition to the civil rights charge, Dartt is accused of filing a false report with both the Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Corrections in the aftermath of the incident. The indictment alleges Dartt knowingly made false statements to cover up the use of force, obstructing internal review and accountability measures.
The charges were announced by Zachary T. Fardon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Michael J. Anderson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI’s Chicago Office. The case was returned by a federal grand jury in Chicago, though no arraignment date has been scheduled.
If convicted, Dartt faces up to ten years in prison on the civil rights count and up to 20 years for filing a false report. Under federal sentencing guidelines, any penalty imposed would be determined by the court based on the facts and applicable advisory standards.
Authorities stress that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Robert Dartt is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, where the government must prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Kutcher.
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Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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