MONTICELLO, Utah, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- A Utah sheriff whose brother was arrested for allegedly trafficking in Indian artifacts says he may charge federal agents with excessive force.
San Juan County Sheriff Mike Lacy has not said what charges could be brought against agents of the Bureau of Land Management and the FBI, The Salt Lake Tribune reported. He said he is still considering charges.
"I'm not saying yay or nay on that," he said when asked specifically if he would take the case to the county attorney, Craig Halls.
Halls said any charges are likely to be "questionable." The only serious injury suffered by any of the 24 people arrested in June was a broken toe.
Lacy said agents drew guns on at least 14 of the 18 people arrested in San Juan County. He suggested that was excessive, given that most of them made no resistance and had no history of violent crime.
The arrests were made after a long investigation into the sale of artifacts removed illegally from land under the control of the federal government.
