Former Boyle Co. deputy indicted on civil rights offenses of excessive force, obstruction

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) — A former Boyle County deputy who was fired in 2021 was indicted by a grand jury on Thursday on civil rights offenses of excessive force and obstruction.

Tanner Abbott is accused of violating the civil rights of five people by using excessive force while arresting them in 2021, according to court documents.

During one of these arrests, Abbott allegedly illegally searched a hotel room and on two other occasions, obstructed justice by writing and conspiring with another person to write false police reports to conceal his misconduct.

He’s formally charged with five counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, one count of falsification of records and one count of conspiracy.

The civil rights charges each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; the falsification of records charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; and the conspiracy charges carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Abbott was fired on Sept. 7, 2021, for “ethics violations,” Sheriff Derek Robbins told ABC 36 then, but that he couldn’t have elaborated further as it was “a personnel matter.”