Former New Castle Police Officer Charged with Deprivation of Civil Rights

PITTSBURGH, Pa – A resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of deprivation of civil rights, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

The one-count Indictment, returned on September 19 and unsealed today, named Ronald Williams, 40, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, on or about April 23, 2018, Williams, at the time a police officer of the New Castle Police Department, willfully deprived an individual identified as P.L. of his right to be free from unreasonable seizure by repeatedly slamming P.L.’s face into a floor surface, without justification, thereby causing bodily injury to P.L.

The law provides for a maximum sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.