Feds Push For Max Sentence For Ex-Antioch Officer Devon Wenger

MARTINEZ, CA — Federal prosecutors are urging a judge to impose the maximum sentence for a former Antioch police officer stripped of his badge after being convicted of distributing steroids, and intimidating and using excessive force on civilians.

A jury convicted Devon Wenger, 33, of conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids and obstruction of justice for deleting incriminating texts. Wenger also conspired with other Antioch officers to use unreasonable force to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate residents of the city, a federal jury found.

The uses of excessive force include gratuitous siccing of a police dog on suspects, using less-lethal 40mm launchers, and other unnecessary violence, prosecutors said. Wenger also hid his activity from police reports and other official documents, prosecutors said. A jury convicted Wenger of conspiracy against rights, the U.S. Department of Justice said in September, a week after the Antioch City Council received its first report from the man hired to oversee the department's "shape up or ship out" agreement with the DOJ.

Wenger faces up to 10 years in federal prison. His sentencing by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White is scheduled for Tuesday. Wenger has insisted that his entire prosecution is the corrupt result of his own efforts to expose wrongdoing by his colleagues, The East Bay Times reported.

During the case, the Times reported, Wenger discussed his case on a law enforcement podcast, petitioned President Donald Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi for help, and boldly declared victory in a news release issued months before his multiple convictions, stating that “justice ultimately prevailed” after a mistrial in March.

His attorneys called for a three-year sentence on Tuesday, according to reports.

Prosecutors have countered with a nine-year prison term. They argue his text messages show that he was “relishing doing harm” with then-colleague Morteza Amiri and others. Amiri, an ex-Antioch K9 officer convicted of siccing his dog on a man and conspiring to defraud the city in a college degree scam, was sentenced to seven years in prison earlier this year. Wenger, prosecutors argue, betrayed his oath and his city, and falsified police reports to avoid responsibility for his actions, according to the reports.

Read more about the investigation into Wenger and the department:

Badge Stripped From Second Antioch Police Officer In Steroids-For-Sale Cover Up

Former Antioch Police Officer Sentenced To Prison For Abuse And Intimidation

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