An Ansonia man who went to the FBI, claiming that Derby police beat him, pleaded guilty to making it all up, according to federal officials.
Edward Minerly, 52, of Ansonia, pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court today to one count of making a false report of police brutality to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and waived his right to indictment.
According to federal officials, Derby police arrested Minerly on May 18, 2013 on an outstanding probation violation warrant.
Weeks later, he spoke with agents from the FBI in New Haven, and claimed Derby police placed him in a holding cell and taunted him; tipped him backward and out of his wheelchair, threw him into a wall, flashed the lights on and off; and kicked him in the head and other parts of his body.
On Tuesday, Minerly pleaded guilty to making false statements, according to federal officials.
“The Department of Justice is committed to investigating and prosecuting civil rights abuses by members of law enforcement,” U.S. Attorney Deidre Daly said in a statement. “We are equally committed to prosecuting false reports of police brutality as these reports not only waste valuable federal law enforcement resources, but they have the potential to indelibly stain the police department and its officers that are unfairly maligned.”
Minerly is scheduled to be sentenced on February 10.
