Stillwater, Minn. – A Champlin man was sentenced to consecutive probationary sentences and jail time for physically assaulting, spitting on, and threatening law enforcement officers during a traffic stop in 2021, Washington County Attorney Kevin Magnuson announced.

In May, a jury found Anyeth Abdalla Deng, 27, guilty of three counts of felony fourth-degree assault against a peace officer and one count of threats of violence after he assaulted and threatened two Washington County sheriff’s deputies during a traffic stop in September 2021.

On August 27, Judge Helen Brosnahan sentenced Deng to stayed prison sentences ranging from a year to 18 months in length, as called for by the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines. Judge Brosnahan imposed consecutive probationary terms, meaning Deng will be on probation for a total of six years, as well as a total of 120 days jail.

“Judge Brosnahan, in my view, clearly understood the serious nature of Deng’s crimes and gave him the toughest sentence she could under the circumstances,” Magnuson said.

According to the criminal complaint, Deng was stopped for a covered license plate and other equipment violations on Frenchman Road in the City of Hugo. When deputies approached the vehicle, Deng was verbally confrontational, and deputies detected the odor of marijuana. After stepping out of the vehicle, Deng refused to remove his hands from his pockets along with other orders. He became physically aggressive when the deputies attempted to place him in handcuffs and punched a deputy four times with a closed fist in the face and head. While the deputies were taking Deng to the ground to control him, a deputy suffered an injury to his head that resulted in bleeding. Deng continued to be combative after other officers arrived to assist in putting him in the squad car. He mule kicked, tried to bite a deputy, spat on both deputies, and damaged the squad vehicle. During the transport to jail, Deng made repeated graphic and violent threats against the second deputy and his family to be carried out once he was released the next day.

At the sentencing hearing, Assistant County Attorney Keshini Ratnayake argued that our society must stop normalizing assaults against police officers. “Nobody should have to go to work expecting that they could be punched in the face and spat on for simply executing their job duties,” Ratnayake said.

“The fact that assaulting law enforcement officer didn’t faze Deng at the time of his crimes, during his trial, or at his sentencing is very concerning,” Magnuson said. “Assault is not somehow less serious because the victims are peace officers. I am very concerned about anyone who believes they are above the law, especially when it involves violence against police or correctional officers.”

Magnuson added, “The Washington County Attorney’s Office takes cases of assaults against police and correctional officers seriously and vigorously prosecutes these crimes, which are all too common. I am grateful for the jury’s verdict and Judge Brosnahan’s sentence in this case.”