Former Antioch police officer Morteza Amiri was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for civil rights violations, falsification of records, and wire fraud offenses. The sentence was delivered by Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White after two trials led to Amiri’s convictions.
In August 2024, a jury found Amiri guilty of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud due to a fraudulent degree scheme. In March 2025, he was convicted of deprivation of rights under color of law and record falsification related to a July 2019 arrest. Amiri has been in federal custody since March 18, 2025.
“Amiri misused his police dog to inflict unnecessary and excessive force against a victim and cheated his way into a pay raise,” stated United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian. He added that these actions were particularly troubling as they were committed by a police officer.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani commented on the case: “Amiri betrayed the public’s trust, abused his authority, and violated the civil rights of a person he was sworn to protect.” Virmani emphasized that the sentence sends a clear message about accountability in law enforcement.
The incidents involved Amiri using excessive force during an arrest on July 24, 2019, when he stopped a bicyclist named A.A., resulting in injuries after deploying his K-9 unnecessarily. Amiri also shared images of the victim’s injuries with other officers and falsified reports regarding the incident.
Additionally, evidence showed that Amiri participated in a scheme where he hired someone else to complete coursework at an online university for financial incentives offered by police departments upon obtaining degrees.
Judge White also sentenced Amiri to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution totaling $13,706.
The case is prosecuted by the National Security & Special Prosecutions Section and the Oakland Branch of the United States Attorney’s Office following investigations by the FBI and Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office.
This prosecution is part of broader investigations into Antioch and Pittsburgh police departments involving multiple charges against several officers for crimes ranging from excessive force to fraud.
