Former Indiana police lieutenant convicted of beating suspect, inmates

Oct. 8 (UPI) -- A former Indiana police lieutenant was convicted last Friday of multiple federal counts of using excessive force against people in custody and is now awaiting sentencing, authorities said.

Aaron Jason Strong, who worked for the New Castle Police Department, east of Indianapolis, was convicted of three counts of deprivation of rights under the color of law and one count of witness tampering. Strong is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 7.

He faces a maximum sentence of 50 years in prison. He was found guilty of physically abusing a suspect and two pretrial detainees and making false statements to an Indiana State Police detective during an investigation.

"Aaron Strong is a repeat offender who defied his oath and abused his law enforcement authority to authority to violently and unlawfully assault multiple individuals," Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Kristen Clarke said in a statement.

''This defendant put his fellow officers in danger and grievously injured people in his custody, whose wellbeing and rights he had a legal and moral duty to protect. Strong betrayed the law enforcement profession when he told lie after lie in an effort to cover up his crimes and derail an independent investigation."

Authorities said Strong hit a suspect at least 12 times with a metal baton after he had given up after a foot chase in 2019. Investigators said he then gave false testimony about the incident. In another incident in 2017, Strong stomped on the head of one inmate and shot another a point-blank range with a bean bag round that investigators said were both without cause at the Henry County Transition Center.

"Together with our partners at the Justice Department, the FBI and Indiana State Police, our federal prosecutors will continue to seek accountability for police who illegally assault those they are sworn to protect."