An indictment unsealed following a multi-state FBI raid reveals that officers from the Antioch Police Department collected “trophies” from crime scenes, displaying them as warped mementos. The FBI raid led to the simultaneous arrest of ten current and former Antioch and Pittsburg police officers.
Federal grand jury indictments stem from an 18-month investigation into East Bay law enforcement, accusing the officers of multiple conspiracies and cover-ups.
Three Antioch police officers, Eric Rombough, Morteza Amiri, and Devon Christopher Wenger, face charges for “a disturbing litany of civil rights violations,” as stated by U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey. These officers are alleged to have used excessive force against citizens, falsified police reports, and avoided body-worn cameras to conceal their brutal tactics.
In addition, the officers are accused of collecting “mementos” from their attacks on Antioch locals. The indictment references a 2020 incident where Amiri texted a photo of a man who had stolen his mail to Wenger, resulting in an exchange of messages endorsing violence.
On May 5, 2020, Amiri’s K9 bit a man before Rombough arrested him. Amiri then used his private cellphone to send numerous photos and videos of the man’s injuries to other officers.
The indicted officers are presently detained without bail. If convicted, they could face decades in prison.
The indictment emphasizes that officers are expected to enforce laws for public protection and to uphold the rights of the accused. Disregarding these duties, as the indictment alleges these officers did, is an “absolute” violation of citizens’ civil rights.