A man who was arrested in Gretna last year has accused a police detective of striking him in the face while he was handcuffed inside the police station.

Multiple media outlets report that 27-year-old Eli Mathins of New Orleans filed a civil rights lawsuit Aug. 4 in U.S. District Court against the city of Gretna, Gretna Police Chief Arthur Lawson and Assistant Chief Anthony Christiana Jr.

Mathins says Gretna police Detective Ashton Gibbs struck him after the two argued about the ownership of a gun police say they took from Mathins during his Aug. 7, 2014 arrest for heroin possession and attempted possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Mathins says the punch fractured his cheekbone and caused permanent disfigurement.

Christiana says the department cannot comment on pending litigation.Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.