LA County deputy faces 10 years in federal prison for excessive force conviction

A federal jury found a Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy guilty of using excessive force while detaining a woman outside of a grocery store roughly two years ago. 

U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson scheduled 32-year-old Trevor James Kirk's sentencing hearing on April 21. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.

Kirk and another deputy responded to WinCo Foods in Lancaster on June 24, 2023, after hearing about a possible robbery where two customers were reportedly "assaulting loss-prevention employees," Sheriff Robert Luna said in 2023. Kirk and the other deputy detained a man who matched the suspect's description. While the other deputy handcuffed the man, Kirk turned his attention to a woman, who matched the other customer's description, recording the deputies. 

Kirk walked up to the woman without giving any commands and tried to take her phone. When she started to turn away the disgraced deputy hooked his left hand behind her neck and violently threw her face into the ground. While he pinned the woman to the ground he threatened to punch her in the face and pepper-sprayed her face twice. 

The victim suffered blunt-force head trauma and injuries to her head, arms and wrist. 

Multiple videos showed the vicious assault, with Sheriff Luna describing the incident as "disturbing."

Kirk was fired without pay, with a spokesperson saying that his actions were "completely contrary to the values and standards upheld by the Sheriff's Department."

"Law enforcement officers not only take an oath to uphold the law but are held to the highest standards of accountability and integrity," the department said in a statement. "No deputy is above the law and any abuse of power which violates the public's trust will not be tolerated."