Former Antioch officer gets 7 years in federal prison for abuse of power, lying and fraud

Morteza Amiri, a former Antioch police officer, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for civil rights violations, including excessive force and fraud. He received 84 months for abusing his authority by deploying a K-9 against a victim without justification and lying about the incident to cover it up. Evidence showed that Amiri punched a bicyclist and ordered his K-9 to bite them over a minor infraction, later sharing gruesome images of the victim's injuries with colleagues. His fraudulent schemes included paying someone to take college courses for him to secure unauthorized pay raises. This case is part of an extensive investigation into misconduct within the Antioch and Pittsburg police departments, which revealed systemic issues including racism and excessive force.

In January, a settlement was reached to address discriminatory practices in the Antioch police department. U. S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian condemned Amiri's actions as a significant betrayal of public trust.

Amiri must also pay restitution totaling over $13,000 to the victim and the city.