A former lieutenant of the Mount Carmel Borough Police Department pleaded guilty this week to conspiring to use excessive force when arresting people.

David Donkochik, 53, made the plea before U.S. Chief District Judge Matthew W. Brann, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

Donkochik was indicted on June 15, 2023, with former officers Jonathan McHugh, 36, and Kyle Schauer, 36, on charges of conspiracy to deprive rights under color of law.

Donkochik, McHugh and Schauer conspired to violate the civil rights of those they arrested between 2018 and 2021.

During 22 different arrests, one or more of the defendants kicked, punched, choked or used excessive force against those they were arresting. In those arrests, they caused bodily injuries to their victims.

Donkochik, McHugh and Schauer also took steps to ensure that video of the arrests was not captured by police cameras.

If footage that incriminated them was captured, they took steps to ensure that it was not preserved.

Furthermore, they falsely reported that suspects acted in a manner requiring violence and then charged those suspects with aggravated assault, resisting arrest and related offenses to conceal their own use of violence.

Schauer pleaded guilty in October to conspiracy to deprive rights under color of law.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. attorneys Michael A. Consiglio and Carlo D. Marchioli are prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment and a fine.