Former sergeant at East Texas jail pleads guilty in assault

EAST TEXAS – David Yager, 29, pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in the Eastern District of Texas to violating a detainee’s civil rights by using excessive force against him. According to a news release, Yager admitted that on or about Feb. 28, 2021, while he was acting as a sergeant in the Van Zandt County Jail, he repeatedly punched a restrained detainee in the chest with a taser, which he also deployed on the detainee. Yager admitted that the detainee was confined to a restraint chair at the time. Yager also admitted that his acts caused bodily injury to the detainee, and that he used force on the detainee despite knowing that there was no legitimate law enforcement need to use force. Yager admitted that he hit the detainee out of anger. The defendant faces a 42-month prison sentence. A sentencing date will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation.