A federal jury has convicted former Antioch police officer Devon Wenger for conspiracy against rights, the FBI in San Francisco announced. Wenger, 33, was found guilty of conspiring with fellow officers to use excessive force to injure and intimidate residents of Antioch, according to the FBI San Francisco's social media post. The conviction follows evidence at trial indicating Wenger and other officers, including Morteza Amiri and Eric Rombough, discussed using and intended to use excessive force, such as deploying a K9 and a 40mm launcher, as punishment.
In a wider investigation, 10 current and former officers from Antioch and Pittsburg have been indicted on charges ranging from civil rights violations to falsifying training classes and reports, as reported by Hoodline. Their alleged offenses include planning violence against individuals, collecting "trophies" from their crimes, and covering their tracks by falsifying official reports. These indictments are part of a larger narrative of police misconduct within the Antioch Police Department, which has recently seen high-ranking officials, including Chief Steven Ford, retire amidst growing pressure for reform.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp underscored that all individuals, regardless of their position, are subject to the law. "No one is above the law and that any breach of public trust is absolutely unacceptable," Tripp said, per Hoodline. Former Community Service Officer Samantha Peterson and other former Pittsburg officers face wire fraud charges, which could lead to sentences of up to 20 years. In contrast, the rights deprivation charges could result in a maximum of 10 years' imprisonment.
