A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy was found guilty Thursday of using excessive force when he assaulted and pepper-sprayed a woman during a shoplifting investigation outside a supermarket in Lancaster.
Trevor James Kirk, 32, of Santa Clarita was convicted in downtown Los Angeles of one felony count of deprivation of rights under color of law for the force used in June 2023, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson scheduled an April 21 sentencing hearing, at which point Kirk will face up to 10 years in federal prison, prosecutors said.
Evidence showed Kirk and another deputy were responding to a possible robbery at WinCo Foods by a male and female suspect. According to court papers, Kirk and another deputy arrived at the scene, handcuffed a man matching the suspect’s description and detained him, while a woman fitting the description of the second suspect recorded the deputies with her phone.
The indictment alleges that Kirk then approached the woman — identified in court documents as J.H. — and attempted to grab her phone without issuing any commands. The woman turned away, prompting Kirk to grab her arm, hook his left hand behind her neck and forcefully throw her to the ground, prosecutors said.
While on the ground, Kirk yelled at J.H. to “get on the ground,” and she told him the video had already been posted on YouTube, according to the indictment.
Federal prosecutors said Kirk then placed his knee on the woman’s shoulder, and when she yelled for him to stop and used an expletive, he pulled his right arm back with a clenched fist and threatened to punch her in the face.
The indictment said Kirk used his LASD radio to call in a misleading report that he was in a fight.
Court papers further state that shortly thereafter, without giving any additional commands to J.H., Kirk sprayed her twice in the face with pepper spray. The woman received medical attention for the spray and injuries received from being thrown to the ground, evidence shows.
The jury heard that Kirk then drafted and submitted a misleading report to the LASD in which he portrayed J.H. as a threat to his physical safety, claiming that the woman assaulted him, attempted to hit him and took a “fighting” stance.
At the time charges were filed last year, the sheriff’s department said Kirk was relieved of duty pending the outcome of the criminal case.
“The department initiated an internal criminal investigation into this incident and subsequently turned the investigation over to the FBI,” according to a sheriff’s department statement. “We have fully cooperated with the FBI throughout their investigation.
“… We have strict department policies and procedures pertaining to the use of force and personnel are not immune from the law and accountability when they violate those standards. We expect our personnel to make appropriate decisions that maintain the public’s trust while serving our community with professionalism and respect.”