RAPIDES PARISH, La. (KLFY) — Rapides Parish Sheriff Mark Wood announced Tuesday that Deputy Ryan C. Lewis has been arrested and terminated after an investigation into using inappropriate force during a recent incident in the Rapides Parish Detention Center.

According to Wood, Lewis was arrested for one count simple battery for his actions during an altercation with an inmate earlier this month.  

He said an internal investigation found the tactics used during the altercation were not within the policy or training of the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office and that the investigation has now been upgraded to a criminal matter. 

“When we were made aware of the complaint, we began our internal investigation which later turned into a criminal investigation” said Sheriff Wood. 

“We hold the men and women of our agency to a very high standard and the vast majority of our deputies conduct themselves in a professional manner, day in, day out, under difficult and dangerous circumstances.  Behavior like this will not be tolerated by our administration.”

Lewis was employed with the Sheriff’s Office since 2016.