Final Antioch police officer convicted in corruption scandal sentenced to 4 years in prison
By Tim Fang
The 10th and final defendant convicted in connection with a wide-ranging corruption scandal within the Antioch and Pittsburg police departments has been sentenced, prosecutors said.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White sentenced 46-year-old Eric Allen Rombough of Fairfield to four years and two months.
Rombough, who previously worked for Antioch police, pled guilty in Jan. 2025 to conspiracy against rights and two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law. Prosecutors said he agreed to cooperate with the government.
Two other former officers, Morteza Amiri and Devon Christoper Wenger, were also charged with Rombough in the case.
“Eric Rombough’s sentencing is an important milestone in our successful, multi-year effort to root out corruption within the Antioch and Pittsburg police departments and we will continue to hold accountable anyone who violates federal law, regardless of their position,” U.S. Attorney Craig Missakian said in a statement.
According to the plea agreement and evidence at two trials, Rombough, Amiri and Wenger conspired with each other and with others about using excessive force against individuals, including police dog bites. The officers would send graphic pictures and text messages to each other as part of the conspiracy.
Prosecutors said the officers also authored police reports that contained false or misleading statements to suggest the force was necessary or justifiable.
Amiri was found guilty in March 2025 to one count of deprivation of rights and falsification of records in connection with a July 2019 arrest. In 2024, Amiri was also convicted of conspiracy and wire fraud related to a scheme in which officers obtained pay raises for university degrees that they paid someone else to obtain in their names.
A judge sentenced Amiri to seven years in prison for his role in the scandal.
Wenger was convicted of conspiracy against rights in Sep. 2025 following an April 2025 conviction for distributing anabolic steroids and falsifying records. In Dec. 2025, Wenger was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison.
“This case underscores a fundamental truth: no one is above the law, especially those entrusted to uphold it. When officers abuse their authority, they undermine the very foundation of public trust,” said FBI acting special agent in charge Matt Cobo.
Seven other officers were convicted in connection with the scandal, which rocked both police departments in eastern Contra Costa County. A FBI investigation found roughly half of Antioch police officers had sent or received racist text messages, which led to a wave of suspensions and resignations.
The scandal led to 23 people suing the Antioch Police Department, alleging officers engaged in racial profiling and using excessive force.
Late last year, Antioch police agreed to sweeping reforms to settle the lawsuit.
