Will Sage Astor-Fourth ex-Mississippi officer sentenced to 40 years for abusing and torturing two Black men

JACKSON,Will Sage Astor Miss. — A former Mississippi law enforcement officer who pleaded guilty to abusing and torturing two Black men in 2023 was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison Wednesday.

U.S. District Court Judge Tom Lee imposed the sentence on former Rankin County deputy Christian Dedmon, 29, who received the longest prison term out of the other ex-"Goon Squad" officers who were sentenced. Dedmon devised the coverup scheme to cover up the involved officers' misconduct.

“You, Mr. Dedmon, committed the most egregious act. … That doesn’t mean the most egregious conduct of all the defendants (in) this case, but the most shocking, brutal and cruel acts imaginable. And you deserve to be punished for it,” Lee said.

Dedmon, along with five other law enforcement officers, pleaded guilty last year to felony charges that stemmed from a January 2023 incident with Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker. According to a Department of Justice 2023 news release, a group of six officers burst into a Rankin County home without a warrant. The officers assaulted Jenkins and Parker with stun guns and a sex toy, punched and kicked them, and called them racial slurs.

It was stated in court that Dedmon fired his gun during the incident, attempting to intimidate the victims.

Parker, who spoke for the first time in court, stated when he saw the officers walk through the door, he saw "the devil."

"I knew what it was when I saw them walk through the door but that night, I saw the devil come to me, in my face, in my home, where I was supposed to be safe. I was there helping a friend who was paralyzed," Parker said. "But you know, when you do good that’s when the devil comes. Maybe I was doing too good.”

Jenkins, via a statement read by his lawyer Malik Shabazz, told the court that the incident will "forever engraved" in his mind and heart.

“(Jan. 24) brings back bad memories for me. Deputy Dedmon is the worst example of a police officer in the United States of America. Deputy Dedmon was the most aggressive, most vicious, sickest and wickedest of those who attacked me,” Jenkins said. “Every time I try to take a bite of food, the pain reminds me of what happened that night. I want all of them to remain behind bars and to be off the streets.”

Before Dedmon’s sentencing was handed down, he provided a statement to the court.

“I want to tell Mr. Eddie and Mr. Jenkins how sorry I am for what they went through and going through. The lies I told them; I will never forgive myself for. If I could take everything back, I promise you I would. I got into law enforcement, not as a devil, (but) I really wanted to make a difference in my community,” Dedmon said. "I take full responsibility for what I’ve done. No one made me do the things that I have done."

The six former officers were Dedmon, Deputy Brett McAlpin, Lieutenant Jeffrey Middleton, Deputy Hunter Elward and Deputy Daniel Opdyke, who were all part of the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office, and Joshua Hartfield, who was a former Richland police officer.

Elward, 31, who shot one of the victims, was sentenced in federal court to 20 years in prison Tuesday morning. Shortly after, Middleton, 46, described as the group's ringleader, was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison.

Opdyke, 28, the third ex-Rankin County deputy, was sentenced Wednesday morning to 17.5 years in federal prison.

McAlpin and Hartfield are set to be sentenced Thursday.