Excessive Force Case: Former Officer Faces Up to 10 Years in Prison

In September 2021, an incident involving the U.S. Marshals Service's Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force (GCRFTF) in Mississippi came under investigation after a video surfaced showing a handcuffed suspect being struck in the face by an officer.

The investigation led to the indictment of John Winstead, a former Mississippi Bureau of Investigations officer assigned to the GCRFTF. In May 2024, Winstead pleaded guilty to using excessive force against the arrestee, admitting that he willfully deprived the individual of their Fourth Amendment right by striking them while they were handcuffed and posed no threat.

Winstead's sentencing is scheduled for a later date, where he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.