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SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Pamela S. Karlan of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, and FBI New Orleans Acting Special Agent in Charge Daniel R. Genck, announced that a federal grand jury in Shreveport has returned an indictment charging former Shreveport Police Department officer Dylan Hudson, 34, of Shreveport, with assaulting an arrestee in Caddo Parish. The indictment charges Hudson with willfully depriving an individual of his right to be free from the use of unreasonable force during an arrest.

The indictment alleges that on August 5, 2019, Hudson, while acting in his official capacity as an officer of the Shreveport Police Department, used unreasonable force against an arrestee by punching him in the face and head, kneeing him in the stomach, tasing him in the neck and head, pistol-whipping him in the head, slamming his head into the ground, and kicking him in the face.  The indictment further alleges that Hudson’s assault caused bodily injury to the arrestee, and that the assault involved the use of dangerous weapons (a Taser, a pistol, and a shod foot).

Hudson made his initial appearance in the Western District of Louisiana today and entered a plea of not guilty to the charge.

An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, Hudson faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.

The case is being investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary J. Mudrick and DOJ Civil Rights Trial Attorney Thomas Johnson.