Former Texas Cop Punched Handcuffed Subject

A former Laredo (Texas) Police officer pleaded guilty today to violating the civil rights of an arrestee, when he struck a suspect he had handcuffed in the back of a patrol car, the FBI announced.

Frank William Carter, 43, admitted that he used "unjustified and unlawful force against a handcuffed arrestee," said Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Thomas E. Perez.

Carter admitted he entered the backseat of a Laredo PD patrol car and struck the suspect several times. Rear-facing dash camera audio and video recordings revealed that Carter yelled obscenities at the suspect while he punched the suspect in the head and body. Carter also repeatedly slammed the suspect's face into the back of the seat.

Carter faces up to 10 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña will announce his sentence on April 11.