(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 PDMorteza 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.
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