December 16, 2025, Henry Circle, Augusta, Georgia. During the execution of search warrants targeting an alleged gang, sheriff's deputies detained De'Ante Cannon. According to the account later given by Richmond County Sheriff Eugene Brantley, Cannon ran, was taken to the ground and resisted arrest. What happened next became a scandal inside the department itself.
Two strikes — and a man who was not handcuffed
Per Sheriff Brantley's own internal review, Deputy Nicholas Boyd struck Cannon twice "to achieve compliance." Body-camera footage showed Cannon on concrete and gravel, not handcuffed during the incident; the review noted the two strikes were visible but "easy to miss." The raid itself resulted in seizures of marijuana, methamphetamine, gang-related items and over $211,000.
The photo that traveled
A still image from the body-camera footage — showing Cannon with a bloodied face — was taken by Lt. Kyle Gould, shared by Sgt. Eric McCants, circulated among officers and eventually reached social media. The spread of that image, of a detained man's injuries, is at the center of the misconduct findings.
The sheriff's own words
Brantley concluded that the use of force was legally justified but did not meet the department's standards.
"Legality alone is not our standard. We hold ourselves to a higher expectation. Just because you can does not mean you should."
Disciplinary outcomes followed: Boyd received a 10-day suspension and mandatory retraining in arrest techniques, team tactics and decision-making; Gould was suspended for 6 days; McCants for 5. Reporting on the case also noted that Boyd had received nine complaints in 2025 — all cleared — and five use-of-force reports involving hard hand strikes.
Why it matters
This is not a case hidden by the department — it is one the department's own leadership called below standard. It documents a recurring pattern: force used on a person already on the ground, and the casual circulation of an injured detainee's image. The facts above reflect the public reporting and the sheriff's stated findings.