Man Struck 45 Times With a Baton in Assault Captured on Video
The former officer of the Veterans Affairs Police Department (VAPD) who was accused of beating a man at the VA was sentenced on Monday to 12 months in federal prison. The assault was captured on video footage that was released in 2022, shortly after the incident.
Juan Anthony Carrillo, 46, of Alhambra, pleaded guilty in July to one misdemeanor count of deprivation of rights under color of law. U.S. District Judge Wesley L. Hsu, who handed down the maximum sentence allowed for the offense, emphasized the responsibility law enforcement officers have to maintain public trust.
“Officers owe a special duty and have a special obligation to keep the trust of the citizens they police,” Judge Hsu said during the sentencing.
The assault occurred at approximately 4:00 a.m. on January 16, 2022, at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center. The victim, identified in court documents as “R.V.,” was detained by another VAPD officer when Carrillo arrived to assist.
Carrillo used a baton to strike R.V. approximately 45 times in 41 seconds, even as the victim screamed in pain. Many of the blows were delivered while the other officer, significantly larger than the victim, was restraining R.V., who was unarmed.
The victim suffered cuts to both legs and a broken bone in his right foot as a result of the attack.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and the VA’s Office of Security and Law Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Susan S. Har and Michael J. Morse of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section prosecuted the case.
