Federal officials say two Grundy County (Tennessee) Sheriff's Department officers have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Chattanooga for using excessive force against arrestees.
Chief Deputy Anthony "Tony" Bean, 59, and Sergeant Anthony "T.J." Bean, 29, each are charged with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law for an incident involving an arrestee, according to a news release issued by U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee J. Douglas Overbey, Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, and FBI-Knoxville Special Agent in Charge Troy A. Sowers.
That arrestee is identified only as "F.M." in the release. It was not initially clear if the Beans are related.
Federal officials allege the two men, while on duty for the sheriff's office, used "unreasonable force when they assaulted and injured arrestee F.M. in December of 2017," the release states.
The federal indictment additionally charges Tony Bean with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law "for an incident involving arrestee C.G." another person identified only by their initials.
The indictment alleges that, while serving as Chief of Police with the Tracy City Police Department, Tony Bean used unreasonable force when he assaulted and injured C.G. in August 2014.
Each of the counts carries a maximum penalty of 10 years of imprisonment, officials said.
The case was investigated by the Knoxville Division of the FBI, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Perry H. Piper of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee and Trial Attorneys Rebekah J. Bailey and Kathryn E. Gilbert of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, the release states.
Grundy County Sheriff Clint Shrum did not immediately return a call seeking comment on Wednesday.