Warrenton officer pleads guilty to federal Taser abuse charge
Mark Oakley, a former Warrenton police officer, pleaded guilty to one of three federal charges for unjustified Taser use. Sentencing is set for February 9.
Former Warrenton cop admits guilt in federal Taser case
A former Warrenton police officer has pleaded guilty to one federal count of deprivation of rights under colour of law, wral.com reports, following a string of accusations that he deployed his Taser on multiple people without justification.
Mark Oakley was dismissed from the Warrenton Police Department in March 2024 after the State Bureau of Investigation opened an inquiry into allegations of improper use of force. A grand jury subsequently indicted him on three such counts. Court records confirm he accepted a plea deal, though the specific terms have not been made public. Oakley remains out on bond pending sentencing, scheduled for 9 February.
After his dismissal from Warrenton, Oakley took a position with the Littleton Police Department. It is not clear whether he remains employed there. WRAL Investigates contacted the Littleton police chief but had not received a response at time of publication.
Separately, three individuals filed a federal civil lawsuit against Oakley last year. The suit alleges that Oakley violated their constitutional rights, falsely arrested them, and fabricated or withheld information to pursue prosecution. Named as co-defendants alongside Oakley are the town of Warrenton and former police chief Goble Lane.
Oakley previously told WRAL Investigates that he felt "left out" of the investigation into his conduct. "I can't even face any of my accusers," he said at the time. His attorney had not responded to a request for comment by the time of publication.
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)