A federal grand jury in Paducah, Kentucky, returned a one-count indictment today charging James Eakes, a deputy jailer at the Fulton County Detention Center, with violating the civil rights of an inmate by assaulting him with a dangerous weapon.

The indictment alleges that on Aug. 14, 2016, Eakes willfully deprived an inmate of the right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment. Specifically, the indictment alleges that Eakes assaulted the inmate with a dangerous weapon, resulting in bodily injury to the inmate.

If convicted of the civil rights charge, Eakes faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.

An indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Madison Sewell of the Western District of Kentucky and Trial Attorneys Sanjay Patel and Zachary Dembo of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.