Former Muncie police sergeant admits obstruction of justice

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A former Muncie police sergeant pleaded guilty Tuesday to obstruction of justice for writing a false report to cover up the excessive use of force by other Muncie officers under his command, federal prosecutors said.

Joseph Kresja admitted the charge during a change-of-plea hearing. He was scheduled to go to trial Jan. 17. As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors dismissed a second obstruction of justice charge.

Krejsa, 52, faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He is due to be sentenced June 27.

According to court documents and statements made during the hearing, Kresja on Aug. 9, 2018, responded to the scene of an arrest. Before he arrived on the scene, other Muncie officers under his supervision had used excessive force against thew person being arrested.

The day after the arrest, Krejsa conducted a supervisory review of the incident during which he said he had watched the videos of the incident and deemed the use of force justified.

During the incident, after the suspect insulted the two officers arresting him, one officer, using his knee, dropped his body down onto the suspect's neck and head area and then tased him before another office strike him twice in the face with a knee, prosecutors said.

Krejsa is the fourth Muncie Police Department official to plead guilty in connection with this investigation, prosecutors said.