Former Maui Police Officer Sentenced to 65 Months for Civil Rights Violation Involving Repeated Tasing

A former Maui Police Department officer has been sentenced to 65 months in federal prison after admitting to repeatedly deploying a Taser against a restrained and non-resisting individual, conduct determined to be a violation of federal civil rights law.

Carlos Frate, 41, was sentenced in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii to 65 months of incarceration, followed by three years of supervised release. Frate previously pleaded guilty in August 2025 to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law, a federal offense that applies when a government official misuses authority to violate an individual’s constitutional protections.

According to court records and Frate’s own admissions, the incident occurred on January 6, 2024. During the arrest, Frate repeatedly discharged his department-issued Taser against an arrestee who was not resisting, not attempting to flee, and not posing a threat to officer safety. Prosecutors stated that Frate acknowledged he knew the force was unjustified under the circumstances, yet continued deploying the device despite the individual’s verbal pleas to stop.

Under federal law, officers acting “under color of law” are prohibited from willfully depriving individuals of rights secured by the Constitution. The use of force by law enforcement is governed by the Fourth Amendment’s reasonableness standard, which requires that force be objectively justified in light of the facts and circumstances confronting the officer at the time. Excessive or punitive force outside those boundaries can constitute a federal civil rights violation.

A Taser, categorized as a conducted electrical weapon, is designed to temporarily incapacitate through neuromuscular disruption. While considered less lethal than firearms, repeated or prolonged deployments can pose serious medical risks, including cardiac complications, neurological injury, and secondary trauma.

United States Attorney Ken Sorenson stated that the sentence reflects the principle that constitutional limits apply to all public officials. He emphasized that law enforcement officers are entrusted with significant authority and must exercise that authority within legal boundaries.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division stated that officers who abuse their positions will be held accountable under federal civil rights statutes.

FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter stated that excessive force cases undermine public trust and impact the broader law enforcement community. The Federal Bureau of Investigation initiated the case following a referral from the Maui Police Department.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese and Trial Attorney Julia White of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.

The 65-month sentence reflects the court’s determination that the conduct constituted a serious breach of constitutional protections. Federal civil rights prosecutions involving excessive force remain a key enforcement mechanism in cases where state-level remedies are insufficient to address violations of federally protected rights.

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