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By Janelle Griffith
Two police officers in Honolulu, Hawaii, who allegedly forced a homeless man to lick a urinal in a public restroom were charged Friday with civil rights offenses, federal authorities said.
John Rabago, 43, and Reginald Ramones, 43, were each charged with one count of conspiring to deprive a person of his civil rights and one count of acting under color of law to deprive the same individual of his civil rights.
They pleaded not guilty in federal court on Friday and were released on $25,000 unsecured bonds.
They each face a maximum penalty of 11 years in prison and a $350,000 fine based on the combined charges, which stem from a January 2018 incident in Honolulu.
Authorities allege Rabago and Ramones responded to a trespassing complaint where they came across the victim and forced him to lick a urinal in a public restroom.
The alleged misconduct was reported by another officer from the Honolulu Police Department who responded. The department subsequently turned the case over to the FBI. Rabago and Ramones were also placed on unpaid leave.
Megan Kau, an attorney representing Rabago and Ramones, told NBC News on Sunday that they maintain their innocence and are confident a jury of their peers will acquit them.