Second former Crawford County deputy involved in viral Mulberry arrest case sentenced to one year in prison

FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) – The second of two former sheriff’s deputies who pleaded guilty to beating a man seen in a viral arrest video filmed in Mulberry was sentenced Oct. 10 to one year in prison with one year of supervised release. according to court documents.

Former Crawford County Deputy Zackary King and former Deputy Levi White pleaded guilty to using excessive force during the arrest of Randal Worcester in Mulberry on August 21, 2022.

According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, King “accepted responsibility and expressed remorse for his actions.” It further states: “According to the government, his plea, unlike that of co-defendant White, was motivated by genuine acceptance and remorse.”

The document further states that “King, unlike co-defendant White, did not obstruct justice by deleting evidence, even when White offered Defendant King a clear invitation to do so by telling King that he intended to delete all data from his phone. Nor did King brag to his friends and fellow officers about beating Randal Worcester, as Defendant White did.”

For these reasons, King was recommended a prison sentence of one year, compared to White, who was recommended a prison sentence of more than eight years.

The court also recommended that King participate in mental health services while in custody and have no contact with Worcester or his family.

White was sentenced on October 9 to more than five years in prison and was also advised to undergo mental health treatment.

Crawford County deputy sentenced to more than five years in prison after video shows him attacking a man

White and King, along with Mulberry police officer Thell Riddle, were seen in footage pinning Worcester to the ground as they punched him.

King was scheduled to begin his trial on May 6, along with co-defendant White, after initially pleading not guilty.

King pleaded guilty April 15 to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law.

Special Prosecutor Emily White said in a letter dated Feb. 15, 2023, that she would not file charges against Riddle. He was suspended from the Mulberry Police Department, but later recovered.

Lawyers for Worcester has filed a lawsuit because of the arrest. Worcester’s lawsuit accuses the officers of violating his constitutional rights.

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