A federal grand jury on Tuesday indicted a U.S. Marshals Service deputy Tuesday, charging him with seven counts related to the beating of an inmate at the D.C. Superior Court three years ago.
The indictment alleges that Stephen Cook, 31, pulled a bound inmate named Omar Hunter from the back of a police van, dragged him to the ground and repeatedly struck him in the head with his fist on Aug. 30, 2005.
Authorities said Cook conspired with another deputy to write false reports to conceal the attack from his superiors.
On Sept. 28 and Oct. 23, 2006, Cook contacted the other deputy and told him to hide the truth from a federal grand jury, authorities said.
U.S. Marshals officials could not be reached late Tuesday, but a government source said Cook had been placed in a position where he would not have contact with the inmates.
Cook was charged with one count of violating the victim’s civil rights, one count of conspiracy, one count of false statements, two counts of tampering with a witness and two counts of obstruction. If convicted, Cook faces up to 20 years in prison.
