Feds: Officers Indicted For College Scam, Steroids, Wiretap Fraud, Civil Rights Violations

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — A lengthy investigation spanning two years culminated in multiple federal grand jury indictments unsealed Thursday against defendants affiliated with both the Antioch and Pittsburg police departments in Contra Costa County.

More than 100 FBI personnel were involved in arrests made Thursday in the Bay Area, Hawaii and Texas, according to FBI Special Agent In Charge Robert Tripp, who spoke during a news conference Thursday afternoon.

The indictments were the result of two years of "painstaking, methodical investigation" of several people affiliated with either the Antioch or Pittsburg police departments who are suspected of violating the oath of office they took when they decided to become police officers, Tripp said.

"Today makes it clear no one is above the law," Tripp said. "We will continue to hold accountable those who break the law."

Information about 12 indictments among four cases was provided by U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey during the news conference.

Six defendants are accused of conspiring to defraud the Antioch and Pittsburg police departments by claiming they earned college credits toward degrees when in fact they did not put in the work themselves, rather they hired someone to take the classes for them, Ramsey said.

Defendants include Morteza Amiri, Antioch PD; Patrick Berhan, Pittsburg PD and Oakland Housing Authority; Brauli Jalapa, Pittsburg PD and Oakland Housing Authority; Ernesto Mejia-Orozco, Pittsburg PD; Samantha Peterson, Antioch PD; and Amanda Theodosy Nash, Pittsburg PD.

Specifically, the indictment alleges that beginning in June 2019, Pittsburg police Officer Patrick James Berhan hired a person identified as “Individual 1” to complete multiple college courses on his behalf. The courses were credited toward Berhan’s completion of a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. It is alleged that Berhan received a degree and then applied for and received reimbursements and increases to his pay from Pittsburg Police Department.

Further, the indictment alleges Berhan “promoted Individual 1’s services” and “benefited from payments received by Individual 1 in furtherance of the scheme.”

The indictment describes how five other members of the police departments hired Individual 1 to complete similar coursework from the university. It is alleged that each paid money to the same person, obtained a degree based on the fraudulent coursework, and applied for benefits including reimbursements and increases in pay from their law enforcement employer.

The second indictment involves two defendants accused of conspiring to distribute steroids. It is alleged that Officers Daniel Harris and Devon Wenger, both of the Antioch Police Department, conspired illegally to distribute the drugs to an unnamed customer.

The indictment also alleges Harris possessed and attempted to possess the drugs, and that Wenger attempted to delete evidence of the scheme from his cell phone prior to handing the phone over to law enforcement officers.

The third indictment alleges former Antioch police officer Timothy "Manly" Williams interfered with a wiretap investigation. On March 23, 2021, Manly was assigned to a “wire room” where he was supposed to monitor communications between a target and others who contacted the target by phone. While monitoring the target, it is alleged Manly used his personal cell phone, dialed a special code to ensure his number would not appear to others, and called a target of the investigation. It is alleged that after dialing the number, Manly also designated his call to the target to be “non-pertinent” ensuring the 14-second conversation would not be recorded.

It is further alleged that Manly made entries on the wire logs to suggest the call he made resulted in no answer and no audio. The indictment further alleged that on May 6, 2021, Manly was on the scene when another officer deployed a police dog when arresting a person. Upon seeing a witness using a cell phone to record the aftermath of the incident, it is alleged that Manly seized the witness’s phone and destroyed it.

The fourth case was a 29-page indictment accusing three officers of the Antioch Police Department—Morteza Amiri, Eric Rombough and Devon Wenger— of conspiracy against rights and deprivation of rights under color of law.

According to Ramsey, the officers are suspected of the improper deployment of a police K9 and other weapons to injure people around the city. The indictment involves the alleged illegal use of force which was evidenced, Ramsey said, in text messages and photos they shared of their victims and the injuries suffered by the victims.

The officers also kept spent casings as mementos of their attacks and acted as if they were above the law, Ramsey said.

They tried to escape scrutiny by failing to submit truthful reports and failing to use body-worn cameras, Ramsey said.

Examples in the indictment include the following:

• On July 24, 2019, it is alleged that Amiri pulled over a bicyclist, identified as A.A., for failing to have lights on after dark. The indictment alleges that “[i]n the course of apprehending A.A., Amiri punched him multiple times; K9 Purcy then bit A.A. in the arm, injuring him.” Amiri then shared pictures of the victim’s wounds with other Antioch police officers who exchanged text messages including: “Yeah buddy good boy pursy,” “F[expletive] that turd,” and Amiri later stated “Detectives already called PRCS and got him a 45-day violation and we are gonna leave it at that so i don’t have to go to court for the bite. easy.” 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.”
• On Oct. 8, 2020, Amiri allegedly sent a text message identifying a transient living in Antioch identified as M.Z. stating “anyone that finds him gets code [a free meal or beverage]. This f[expletive] stole my mail and was trying to open accounts under my name.” Wenger responded “Lets beat his f[expletive] ass I’m down after work morty” According to the indictment, the recipients of Amiri’s message located M.Z. later that evening. Amiri then arrived on the scene, shoved M.Z. against a wall and threatened to kill him. The indictment also alleges that a few months later Amiri texted another group of officers in reference to M.Z., “few months ago, I tracked him down and dragged him to the back of a car to ‘discuss’ the matter,” and “putting a pistol in someone’s mouth and telling them to stop stealing isn’t illegal. . . it’s an act of public service to prevent further victims of crimes”
• On May 5, 2021, Rombough accompanied other Antioch police officers who responded to a report that transients were living inside a privately-owned unit. While responding, Rombough and another officer located a couple lying on a bed inside a room. Rombough deployed a 40mm less lethal launcher at one of the persons on the bed, hitting them in the chest and knocking them off the bed.
• On Aug. 24, 2021, Rombough accompanied other Antioch police officers as they executed a search warrant at a residence in Antioch. Officers located a subject—identified as J.W.—inside a locked bedroom holding a video game controller while sitting on an air mattress, with a video game on a television screen. J.W. removed a pair of headphones and raised his hands as officers, including Rombough, entered the room. One officer took J.W.’s left arm to arrest him as four other officers surrounded J.W. As the other officer held J.W.’s left arm on the bed, Rombough deployed the 40mm less lethal launcher at J.W., injuring him.

"Police officers take an oath to defend the U.S. Constitution and protect the rights of others," Ramsey said. "The indictments unsealed today paint a picture of police officers who have violated that oath."

Defendants in all four cases have been arrested and court appearances were being scheduled, Ramsey said.

The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office, and the cases are being prosecuted by the Special Prosecutions Section and Oakland Branch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Antioch Mayor Issues Statement On Arrests

Earlier Thursday, Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe released a statement about the arrests made by the FBI.

"Today is a dark day in our city’s history, as people trusted to uphold the law, allegedly breached that trust and were arrested by the FBI," Thorpe said in the statement posted to his website. "As our city absorbs this tragic news, we must come together as one. Today's actions are the beginning of the end of a long and arduous process.

"To those that have accused me and others of being anti-police for seeking to reform the Antioch Police Department, today’s arrests are demonstrative of the issues that have plagued the Antioch Police Department for decades.

"Seeking to reform the Antioch Police Department is not anti-police, it is pro our residents, and pro officers that have served and continue to serve with honor."