Milwaukee police officer Michael Vagnini will only have to serve ywo years in prison after he was found guilty of anally penetrating black men during arrest.
According to the Journal Sentinel, Vagnini was the ring leader of several officers who routinely stopped black men and did illegal anal searches. A victim told prosecutors that Vagnini held a gun to his head, put him in a choke hold, grabbed his scrotum and fingered him in the anus.
During another arrest, Vagnini and another police officer, Jacob Knight, put their bare hands into the anus of two suspects without using gloves. Drugs were not found.
Another victim bled from the anus after a violent search by Vagnini.
Milwaukee prohibits police officers from doing cavity searches when searching for drugs. All searches must be performed by doctors after a search warrant is signed by the police chief or supervisor.
Along with Vagnini and Knight, police officers Brian Kozelek, Jason Mucha and Jeffrey Dollhopf were also accused of doing illegal anal searches.
However, Knight, Kozelek, Mucha and Dollhopf only received community service and fines for the violations.
Vagnini pleaded guilty to four felonies, but he was not charged with sexual assault and doesn’t have to register as a sex offender.
Thirty victims have filed lawsuits against the officers, Milwaukee Police Department and the city of Milwaukee.
