Deputies accused of improper force expected in federal court

Several Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies who have been the subject of excessive force accusations have been charged with criminal civil-rights violations, according to the federal court’s website.

Among the deputies who are listed as being in custody and scheduled to appear in court are deputies Fernando Luviano and Pantamitr Zunggeemoge, who allegedly took part in a controversial force incident involving a jail visitor, Gabriel Carrillo.

Carrillo alleged he was beaten while handcuffed while visiting his brother at the Men’s Central Jail in February 2011. Carrillo was initially charged with battery against the deputies following the incident but prosecutors abruptly dropped the case, telling a judge they were awaiting more reports from the Sheriff’s Department.

LIVE CHAT: Discuss the indictments Tuesday at 9 a.m.

Both Luviano and Zunggeemoge are charged with conspiracy against rights and deprivation of rights under color of law, according to the website.

Bryan Brunsting, a supervisor in the department’s training unit, was also listed on the website as having been charged with civil-rights violations.

The Times reported in 2011 that Brunsting was the supervisor for a well-regarded sheriff’s rookie who graduated at the top of his recruit class but resigned after only a few weeks on the job. At the time, he accused Brunsting of making him beat up a mentally ill jail inmate, according to interviews and law enforcement records.

Jails under scrutiny: Read the documents

The deputy, Joshua Sather, said that shortly before the inmate’s beating his supervisor said, “We’re gonna go in and teach this guy a lesson,” according to the records. The attack, Sather said, was then covered up.

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