Greenville Police Officers Arrested On Civil Rights Charges

(Newsroom America) -- Three Greenville police officers have been arrested after allegedly knocking a person to the ground during a traffic stop and removing approximately $1,300 from his wallet on May 3.

Bryant Maurice Kennedy, 28, Cedric D. Sorrell, 26, and Samuel E. McVay, Jr., 26, were arrested on charges of conspiracy and deprivation, under color of law, of the constitutional rights of an individual to be secure in his person and free of unreasonable search and seizure, and in so doing, subjecting the individual to bodily injury.

Kennedy, Sorrell, and McVay, at the time police officers with the Greenville Police Department, appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Jane Virden in Greenville, Mississippi, today. Each was released on $10,000 bond.

Daniel McMullen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Mississippi, stated: “In order to effectively serve and protect their communities, law enforcement officers are entrusted with certain powers and authority, which they are expected to wield with the utmost integrity. The officers arrested today are charged with abuse of that power and authority.

"I appreciate the cooperation and professional handling of this matter by the investigators, the prosecutors, and especially Greenville Police Chief Freddie Cannon, who brought these allegations to our attention.”

If convicted on both counts, each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison and up to $500,000 in fines. They each could be ordered to pay restitution to the victim of their crimes, as well as required to forfeit any proceeds from the crimes.