PHOENIX — A Maricopa County Sheriff's Office detention officer was arrested Monday on an assault charge after deploying his Taser on an inmate without justification, according to the sheriff's office.
According to court documents, 48-year-old Detention Officer Anthony Nguyen escorted an inmate into a restroom at the MCSO laundry services facility and tased him twice.
Nguyen allegedly ordered the inmate into a toilet stall and made him put his hands on the wall before tasing him twice. Red marks the inmate received from the Taser were documented with photos, court docs say.
The inmate returned to his normal day and was seen lifting his shirt to show his injuries to another inmate in front of Nguyen. When he got back to the Durango Jail, the inmate reported the incident to a detention sergeant.
Cameras caught Nguyen entering and exited the restroom together and three other witnesses reported seeing them. Nguyen's Taser activation history showed two deployments at the same time the two were in the restroom.
According to court docs, Nguyen admitted to tasing the inmate twice as a form of punishment but did not write a use of force form or incident report.
Nguyen was placed on administrative leave when the investigation into the incident began Feb. 19. The sheriff's office said Nguyen's use of his Taser was deemed excessive force by policy.
Investigators recommended a charge of misdemeanor assault on Monday, and Nguyen was booked into the Fourth Avenue Jail shortly before 4 p.m.
The sheriff's office said it is currently in the process of terminating Nguyen's employment.