Former Elmore County Sheriff’s deputy indicted on charges of punching, kicking person under arrest

A former Elmore County Sheriff’s deputy has been indicted on charges that he deprived person of their civil rights while they were under arrest.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Middle District of Alabama, 33-year-old Blake Hicks appeared in federal court today after being indicted by a federal grand jury on Tuesday.

The indictment charges Hicks with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law for willfully using unreasonable force against an arrestee. The indictment alleges that, without legal justification, Hicks punched and kicked the arrestee in or around the head while the arrestee, a male, was handcuffed and lying on the ground, resulting in bodily injury.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison if Hicks is convicted.