A former officer from the Antioch Police Department in California, Morteza Amiri, has been indicted twice in one day, facing serious charges that range from excessive use of force to wire fraud. The indictments, issued on August 16, 2023, highlight a disturbing series of actions that have shocked the community and brought attention to issues within the police department.
Excessive Force Allegations
Amiri, 33, who served as a police officer in Antioch since November 2017, is facing nine counts of civil rights violations, including conspiracy against rights, deprivation of rights under color of law, and destruction or falsification of records in federal investigations. These charges were brought against Amiri and two other officers, Eric Rombough and Devon Wenger.
The indictment paints a troubling picture of Amiri’s time in the Canine Unit, where he worked alongside a police dog named Purcy. Despite extensive training, Amiri allegedly deployed K9 Purcy to bite at least 28 individuals between March 2019 and November 2021, often in situations where such force was not warranted. This excessive use of force was reportedly encouraged and even celebrated in a text message chain shared between Amiri, Rombough, and Wenger.
The text messages exchanged between the officers reveal a shocking level of disregard for the victims. Amiri allegedly took photographs and videos of the injuries caused by Purcy’s bites, some of which were kept for personal use.
In one message, Amiri reportedly said, “I’m gonna take more gory pics. gory pics are for personal stuff. cleaned up pics for the case 😂.”
One incident detailed in the indictment involved Amiri pulling over a cyclist for not having lights on his bike. During the stop, Amiri allegedly punched the man multiple times and then deployed K9 Purcy, resulting in severe injuries to the cyclist’s arm. Such actions led to Amiri being removed from the Canine Unit in early 2022, and K9 Purcy was temporarily suspended.
Wire Fraud Conviction
On the same day as the excessive force indictment, Amiri was also convicted of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. This conviction follows a separate trial that concluded on August 9, 2023. Amiri was the last of six officers from the Antioch Police Department to be convicted in this case.
According to prosecutors, Amiri and his co-conspirators exploited the department’s higher education tuition reimbursement program by hiring a third party to complete their coursework. Amiri reportedly paid someone through Venmo to take classes, write essays, and even take exams on his behalf, all to obtain a degree that would qualify him for a pay raise.
This fraud indictment, filed on August 16, 2023, outlines how Amiri’s actions were part of a broader scheme involving other officers, who have all been convicted of similar charges.
Legal Consequences and Upcoming Trials
Amiri’s sentencing for the wire fraud conviction is scheduled for November 12, 2024. Each count of the two-count conviction carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Meanwhile, Amiri has pleaded not guilty to the charges related to excessive force, and that case is set to go to trial in February 2025.
These indictments have raised serious concerns about the conduct of the Antioch Police Department and have brought renewed scrutiny to the practices of its officers. As the legal proceedings continue, the community awaits justice for the victims involved in these troubling incidents.