Latest news with #MortezaAmiri
CBS News
12 hours ago
- CBS News
Former Antioch officer sentenced for violating victim's civil rights with K9 attack
A former Antioch Police officer was sentenced for violating someone's civil rights through excessive force using his K9 and other crimes, the U.S. Department of Justice said Tuesday. Morteza Amiri was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for the following charges, according to the DOJ. Violating someone's civil rights through excessive force Falsifying records in connection to the incident Wire fraud Conspiracy to commit wire fraud The incident happened July 24, 2019, during a traffic stop. The DOJ said Amiri pulled over a cyclist and claimed that the reason for the stop was that the cyclist did not have his bicycle light on. Amiri then approached the cyclist, identified only as A. A., punched him and took him to the ground, the DOJ said, and he then called his K9 to bite the victim. The DOJ said Amiri filed a report stating the K-9 was deployed because he was alone during the incident. However, the DOJ said Amiri was accompanied by an officer from a neighboring agency at the time, and that the officer had helped Amiri deploy the K9. After the incident, Amiri showed other officers photos of the victim's wounds, the DOJ said. "One officer responded, 'Yeah buddy good boy,' referring to the K-9, and 'Lol you bit [A.A.],'" the DOJ said. "In response to a question from another officer about what cut the dog's face, Amiri responded, 'that's a piece of the suspect's flesh lol.'" The DOJ said Antioch detectives and Amiri took specific action to avoid going to court for the K9 bite. "Amiri later wrote to the officer who accompanied him on the ride-along, 'you got to see [the K-9] in action lol,' and stated that detectives got the victim 'a 45 day violation and we are gonna leave it at that so i don't go to court for the bite. Easy,'" the DOJ said. Amiri was also part of a group of Antioch officers who were arrested in a corruption investigation, which is what led to the wire fraud offenses. The DOJ said Amiri was among the Antioch and Pittsburg officers who enlisted someone to complete online college courses for them to use the departments' reimbursement program and get better pay. Amiri will also have three years of supervised released, have to pay $3,180 in restitution to A.A., and $10,526 to Antioch.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Yahoo
Jury finds ex-Antioch K-9 officer Morteza Amiri guilty
(KRON) — A federal jury convicted a former Antioch Police Department officer on Friday who used his K-9 excessively to bite suspects and 'kept a running a bite count that he celebrated with other officers,' prosecutors said. Armed high school student fled campus, dumped loaded gun: Pinole PD Morteza Amiri, 33, was convicted of one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of falsification of records, the Northern District of California Department of Justice said in a news release. According to evidence presented at trial, on July 24, 2019, then-Officer Amiri was accompanied by another Antioch police officer when pulled over a bicyclist, identified as 'A.A.,' for not having a light. Amiri punched and took the victim to the ground before calling for the K-9 to be released, biting and injuring the victim. Following the incident, Amiri took pictures of the victim's wounds and texted them to other Antioch police officers. 'One officer responded, 'Yeah buddy good boy,' referring to the K-9, and 'Lol you bit [A.A.].'' When asked by another officer about what cut the dog's face, Amiri responded, 'that's a piece of the suspect's flesh lol.' The DOJ said Amiri later wrote to the officer who accompanied him on the July 24 incident, and said, 'you got to see [the K-9] in action lol,' and stated that investigators got the victim 'a 45 day violation and we are gonna leave it at that so i don't go to court for the bite. Easy.' Amiri falsified a police report of the incident saying that he deployed his K-9 because he was alone. 'Morteza Amiri violated the oath he swore to protect the people of Antioch,' said Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Robbins. 'He flouted his duty as a police officer, misused his police dog, and inflicted unnecessary and excessive force against the victim. This appalling conduct erodes public trust in law enforcement. And it weakens law enforcement's ability to carry out its primary mission of public safety. As today's jury verdict makes clear, officers who put themselves above the law will be held accountable.' 'Today's guilty verdict against Morteza Amiri sends a clear message: no one is above the law, especially those sworn to uphold it,' added FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. The case against Amiri was part of a sweeping investigation into the Antioch and Pittsburgh police departments. Multiple charges were brought against 10 current and former officers and employees for various crimes ranging from the use of excessive force to fraud. Amiri was convicted by a jury last August for orchestrating a scheme to obtain pay raises from the Antioch Police Department. The United States Attorney's Office said Amiri paid someone else to secretly earn a university degree online for him. Amiri faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison on the count of deprivation of rights under color of law and 20 years in prison on the count of falsification of records. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
