Former Olney Police Chief, Threatening Man at Gunpoint, Texas 2018

**Olney, Texas** — A chilling case of police abuse has come to an end as a former top cop is behind bars for threatening a man at gunpoint.

Former Acting Police Chief Robert Michael Cross, 35, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for deprivation of rights under color of law. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor.

According to the FBI’s Dallas Field Office, which led the investigation alongside the Texas Rangers, Cross coerced two individuals into engaging in conduct for his own personal benefit after arresting them for aggravated robbery offenses in 2017. He promised to have the cases against them dismissed if they complied with his demands.

In a particularly disturbing turn of events, Cross took the victims out for dinner and a movie, where he brandished a pistol and threatened one of them with bodily injury. He then coerced the victim into engaging in sex acts with another individual, depriving them of their constitutional right to be free from unreasonable force by a law enforcement officer.

“The city of Olney deserves police officers with respect for the rule of law,” said U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox. “Instead, this defendant abused his power, stripping citizens of their dignity for his own perverse ends. We are gratified he has been held to account for his despicable behavior.”

The FBI is committed to preserving trust in law enforcement, and this case is a stark reminder that officers who violate the law will be held accountable.

**Mandatory Facts:**

Defendant: Robert Michael Cross

Criminal Charges: Deprivation of rights under color of law

City and State: Olney, Texas

Date: December 20, 2017 (crime date)

Sentence: 10 years in federal prison

Additional Details: Cross pleaded guilty in October 2019 to the charges, and U.S. Attorney Robert Boudreau is prosecuting the case.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndtx/pr/former-olney-police-chief-sentenced-10-years-threatening-man-gunpoint