MACON, Ga. (AP) - Federal prosecutors say a former Georgia sheriff has been sentenced to serve two and a half years in prison for using excessive force against two arrestees who weren't resisting.
Prosecutors said Wednesday that 45-year-old Anthony Heath, the former sheriff of Berrien County, will also serve three years supervised release. Heath pleaded guilty in June to two counts of violating an individual's civil rights.
Prosecutors say that in January 2012 Heath and deputies were chasing a man they were trying to arrest. Prosecutors say deputies caught the man and had him handcuffed on the ground and that Heath kicked punched him.
Prosecutors say Heath also repeatedly punched and kicked another arrestee in October 2014, even though the man surrendered, got on the ground and didn't try to flee or threaten anyone.
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