A former Alabama police sergeant was sentenced Monday to more than a year in federal prison for beating a jail inmate in 2022.

Ryan Phillips, a 42-year-old former sergeant with the Daleville Police Department, will spend 16 months in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release, prosecutors said.

When he pleaded guilty in August to one count of depriving an arrestee of his civil rights, Phillips admitted that he used “unreasonable force” against the inmate following a verbal dispute in March 2022.

Phillips admitted to taking off his badge and firearm before entering the victim’s cell and striking the victim multiple times in the face and upper body.

The victim, only identified in court documents by the initials D.M., sustained injuries that included multiple cuts and bruises to his face and chest.

“People being held under arrest have the right to be treated humanely and not to be violently assaulted behind bars,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

“The defendant disregarded his oath to protect and serve his community, abused his power and violated the victim’s civil rights when he entered that jail cell and repeatedly hit the victim. This sentence should serve as a reminder to all law enforcement that a badge is not a license to answer verbal insults with physical violence and excessive force. The Justice Department will hold accountable officials who violate arrestee’s civil rights.”

Added Paul Brown, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Montgomery Field Office: “Law enforcement officers are entrusted to safeguard everyone’s civil rights. In this case, that trust was broken, and the officer egregiously violated an individual’s civil rights. It will remain a top priority for the FBI to ensure anyone violating someone’s civil rights is held accountable, especially those within law enforcement.”