Former Antioch police officer Devon Christopher Wenger has been sentenced to seven and a half years in federal prison after being convicted of conspiring to violate civil rights, distributing anabolic steroids, and obstructing justice. The sentence was issued by Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White.
Wenger, 33, who previously lived in Oakley, California, faced charges in two separate cases. In April 2025, a federal jury found him guilty of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute anabolic steroids and obstruction of justice. In September 2025, another jury convicted him of conspiracy against rights. Wenger has been held in federal custody since September 2025.
“Devon Wenger and his co-conspirators believed the badges they wore gave them a license to break the law. They were wrong. Today, the court held Mr. Wenger accountable for his betrayal of the public trust placed in him,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian.
“Devon Wenger’s sentencing marks another significant step in a multi-year effort to uncover and confront corruption within the Antioch and Pittsburg police departments. His conviction, along with the earlier convictions in this case, underscores that no one is above the law. The FBI and our partners are committed to holding those who violate the civil rights of others and betray the public’s trust accountable,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Agustin Lopez.
Court documents presented at trial revealed that Wenger conspired with fellow Antioch Police Department officers Morteza Amiri and Eric Rombough to use excessive force against individuals in Antioch. Their actions included deploying a police K9, using a “less lethal” launcher, and other acts of unnecessary violence as punishment beyond what would be imposed by the criminal justice system. Evidence showed that details about these uses of force were withheld from official reports.
Communications between Wenger and his colleagues indicated intent to inflict harm on suspects beyond lawful measures. In one instance from April 2019, Wenger sent booking information for a suspect to Amiri and Rombough with instructions implying physical harm; both responded affirmatively.
Video evidence from later in 2019 showed Wenger breaking a young female shoplifting suspect’s arm before pushing her sister down, handcuffing her, grabbing her neck, and smashing her face into a patrol car—actions not accurately described in his official report.
In August 2020, messages between Amiri and Wenger discussed frustration over body cameras limiting their ability to use force without oversight. They exchanged further messages about repeated violent encounters during their shifts.
The steroid distribution charge stemmed from February 2022 when Wenger arranged for anabolic steroids—a controlled substance—to be delivered to Daniel Harris (then also an Antioch officer) for resale to another individual. Law enforcement intercepted the package but found that Wenger continued efforts to supply steroids while waiting for delivery.
On March 23, 2022, when FBI agents arrived at his residence with a warrant for his phone, it took nearly an hour before Wenger complied; forensic analysis later found deleted entries related to steroid distribution on his device.
Judge White also ordered three years of supervised release following imprisonment for Wenger. A restitution hearing is scheduled for January 27, 2026.
The case was prosecuted by the National Security & Special Prosecutions Section alongside the Oakland Branch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office after investigations led by the FBI and Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office.
This prosecution is part of broader efforts investigating corruption within Antioch and Pittsburg police departments resulting in multiple federal charges against ten current or former officers or employees on offenses ranging from excessive force to fraud.
