ST. LOUIS — A fifth officer has been indicted in connection with the arrest and assault of an undercover police officer during downtown protests in 2017.
A grand jury returned a superseding indictment Thursday, charging 42-year-old officer Steve Korte with civil rights violations and lying to the FBI. The additional indictment comes after federal prosecutors announced in November that it would be asking for charges against two more officers.
Officer Luther Hall claimed he was beaten by his own colleagues during the Stockley protests after they mistook him for a protester. Officers Dustin Boone, 36, Christopher Myers, 28, Randy Hays, 32, and Bailey Colletta, 26 were indicted in the initial indictment in November of 2018.
According to the indictment, Korte, who has been with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department since 2011, lied that he had not been involved in Hall's arrest.
Hays and Colletta previously pleaded guilty to charges including deprivation of constitutional rights, obstruction of justice and perjury. They will be sentenced in 2020.
Officers Boone, Myers and Korte are each charged with a count of deprivation of rights under color of law resulting in bodily injury. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine.
Korte's additional charge of providing false statements to the FBI carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine. The department confirmed he is currently on administrative leave without pay.
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