Former Des Moines Police Officer Convicted of Excessive Use of Force and Obstruction of Justice

DES MOINES, IA—A federal jury in Des Moines, Iowa, convicted former Des Moines Police Department Officer Mersed Dautovic of violating a person’s civil rights, through the use of excessive force, and obstruction of justice, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt.

The jury found that Dautovic violated a citizen’s civil rights by beating him during a traffic stop. The jury specifically found that Dautovic used a dangerous weapon, an ASP baton, and caused serious bodily injury. The jury also found that Dautovic obstructed justice by falsifying a written statement about the incident. Dautovic was ordered detained by the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

The civil rights/use of excessive force count carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The obstruction of justice count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Each count also carries a maximum fine of $250,000.

This case was investigated by the Des Moines Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was jointly prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa and the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.