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Posted on: October 21, 2011

Former Sheriff’s Detention Officer Sentenced to Jail, Probation for Inmate Assaults

PHOENIX , AZ (October 21, 2011) – Judge William Brotherton sentenced Kevin Gerster (D.O.B. 10/23/75) today to serve one year in jail followed by two years of supervised probation for assaulting two inmates and illegally accessing and sharing criminal history information while serving as a Maricopa County Sheriff’s Detention Officer. Gerster was charged in three separate cases for these crimes and pled guilty with no agreements to two class 6 designated felonies for the two assaults, and one class 1 misdemeanor for the unauthorized criminal history access.

“This defendant violated the trust we place in our uniformed law enforcement officers, the overwhelming majority of whom perform their duties with honesty, integrity and professionalism,” remarked Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery. “This sentence underscores the commitment of my office to hold sworn officers accountable when they have violated the law,” he added.

On July 20, 2010, Gerster was recorded on video entering the cell of inmate Miguel Flores at the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Jail and striking him twice. Flores went to the hospital complaining of his injuries. Gerster was sentenced to one year in jail, not to be released until 10/21/2012

On September 10, 2010, Gerster accessed the Maricopa County Jail Management System to obtain the home address of a former inmate. He provided this information to a friend, who went to the former inmate’s house and started an altercation that led to his arrest and indictment on charges of criminal damage, burglary and aggravated assault. Gerster was sentenced to six months supervised probation and a $2,500 fine.

On November 11, 2010, Gerster assaulted inmate William Hughes while he was in custody in the Psychiatric unit at the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Lower Buckeye Jail. Hughes was restrained with chains around his waist with attached handcuffs securing his hands behind his back and a chain connecting his ankles. Surveillance video shows Gerster holding Hughes’ head down on a table with his foot for approximately 40 seconds. Gerster subsequently led Hughes to a cell and was seen hitting Hughes’ head into the cell wall multiple times. Gerster was sentenced to two years of supervised probation and six months in jail, to be served concurrently with his other jail sentence.

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