Former Desoto County Sheriff’s Deputies Steven Rizza and Jonathan Mause
have been indicted for violating the civil rights of an inmate at the Desoto County Jail in Florida.
According to a federal indictment, Rizza assaulted an inmate on May 25, 2013, and then falsified an incident report to conceal his actions.
The indictment also alleges that Rizza and Mause made false statements to investigators and a federal grand jury to cover up the assault.
Rizza faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted of violating the civil rights of another.
Both Rizza and Mause could each face a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison for obstruction of justice and falsification of records counts, and a maximum of 5 years for perjury.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement are investigating this case with the assistance of the Desoto County Sheriff’s Office.
Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesus M. Casas and Trial Attorney Douglas Kern are prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Key Facts
- State: Federal
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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