Former Antioch police officer sentenced to 7 years for K9 attack, fraud
However, Amiri was not for charges related to the department texting scandal
ANTIOCH, Calif. (KGO) -- Former Antioch police officer Morteza Amiri was sentenced in federal court to seven years in prison. He was one of the officers singled out in the Antioch Police Department's texting scandal.
"The judge went higher than the probation report by a couple of years, which I thought was good," says attorney Ben Nisenbaum, who was in court for the sentencing. He represents clients in civil cases that involved Amiri.
In March, Amiri, who was K9 cop, was found guilty on two counts. One, for violating a person's rights. That man was Arian Arroyo, who was injured by the department's police dog, Purcy, in 2019. And two, falsifying police reports. But not for charges related to the texting scandal.
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Amiri's lawyer, Paul Goyette, called the verdict "disappointing, but not unexpected."
"Since his conviction in March, he has been in the Santa Clara County Jail essentially in solitary confinement the whole time. Judge White just gave him 84 months, which is a long, long sentence. It will be a difficult time for sure," explains Goyette.
Amiri addressed the court stating he was "remorseful" and "ashamed" and is a changed man, having taken courses and getting counseling since his arrest. But in court, the government attorneys stated that Amiri chose "a path to violently dehumanize citizens of Antioch - meant to hurt and punish people."
Nisenbaum agrees.
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"He is a person who claims he was led astray by the corruption of his own department. But he presented himself as a leader of that culture. A leader of the department. So, it would seem he might be one of the people responsible for leading the Antioch Police Department astray," says Nisenbaum.
A series of racist texts were uncovered by the FBI two years ago while investigating the Antioch Police Department. That lead to 40% of the department's almost 110 police officers being put on paid leave.
Amiri was specifically named in separate reports put out by the Contra Costa County DA's office related to the texting scandal. Two other officers named in those reports are still going to go to trial.
"Law enforcement is difficult especially in the city of Antioch where you have, at that time and now, a very, very high crime rate city," says Goyette.
