Former Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officer Richard Scavone pleaded guilty today in federal court to assaulting a handcuffed woman in his custody. Federal Court works quite differently than state criminal Court. Since this case probably involved a federal question issue the department of justice became involved in the case and did the investigation. Since the officer did not know the person he assaulted there was no domestic violence.

Acting U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre of the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse of the FBI’s Las Vegas Office made the announcement.

According to admissions made in the plea agreement, on January 6, 2015, Scavone, 50, was working as an LVMPD patrol officer, and was accompanied in his patrol car by an LVMPD jail corrections officer on a ride-along. At approximately 5:00 a.m., Scavone and the ride-along encountered A.O., who was talking on the phone and holding a cup of coffee. When Scavone told A.O. to “move along,” A.O responded that she was waiting on someone and threw her cup of coffee to the ground. Scavone, who was wearing a body-worn camera that recorded video and audio, exited his patrol car and approached A.O. with a Taser in hand.