A former Antioch police officer was convicted Wednesday of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute anabolic steroids and obstruction of justice.
A jury in federal court in Oakland found Devon Wenger, 33, conspired with another former Antioch officer, Daniel Harris, to distribute anabolic steroids to a third person, and then deleted evidence from his phone.
The conviction is the latest in a police scandal that rocked the Antioch and Pittsburg police departments. Allegations against officers included excessive force and improper use of weapons and a police dog on suspects, civil rights violations, falsifying records, wire fraud, obstruction of justice, turning off body cameras, selling steroids, and paying individuals to take college classes for officers.
Ten current and former officers have so far been charged in the federal investigation. At one point, 45 Antioch officers — nearly half the police force — were suspended.
Four Black suspects charged with murder made plea deals on lesser charges in May of 2024, after a dozen Antioch officers involved in the arrests or the investigations violated the California Racial Justice Act, which prohibits the state from pursuing convictions based on race.
The officers took part in racist, homophobic and threatening text message chains, some of which referred to Black suspects as the N-word, described violence against suspects, threatened former Antioch Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe, who is Black, and referred to then-Police Chief Steven Ford — who is also Black — as a gorilla.
The U.S. Department of Justice is overseeing the Antioch Police Department for five years, overseeing operations and collecting data, among other provisions of an agreement.
“Instead of upholding the law, as he swore an oath to do, Devon Wenger conspired with a fellow officer to sell illegal anabolic steroids,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick Robbins. “When the FBI arrived at his home to investigate him, he then doubled down by destroying evidence of his crime. Crimes like these by a police officer have a corrosive effect on the public’s trust in law enforcement.”
Prosecutors said that in February 2022, Wenger set up the sale of anabolic steroids, a controlled substance, between Harris and a third person. Harris was also charged and pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy in September.
Law enforcement officials seized the steroids meant for Harris, although Wenger continued to communicate with Harris about supplying the third person with steroids.
At 8:03 a.m. on March 23, 2022, FBI agents began calling and sending text messages to Wenger telling him they were outside of his home with a warrant. Wegner didn’t appear until 9 a.m. Later, a forensic examination of his phone showed specific entries related to the steroids were deleted.
The jury convicted Wenger of one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute anabolic steroids and one count of destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in federal investigations.
Wenger is scheduled to appear Tuesday for a hearing to decide whether to remand him to custody pending sentencing. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison on the conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids count and 20 years in prison on the obstruction of justice count.
proof steroids don’t make you smarter.
https://www.instagram.com/topp_80s_movies/reel/Ct3u4z0ON4S/
https://www.yahoo.com/news/sfpd-officer-saw-son-assault-191211960.html
ACAB is real. An sfpd let his son assault another person. Then he try to cover up for his son by.
Diane Becton should be RECALLED!!!!!! All this effort for anabolic steriod distribution and deleting the transaction from his phone? She lets out rapist, molestors, drug dealers.. no problem.. but STERIODS!!!!! FBI should be ashamed of themselves for their involvement in going after this case and our District Attorney needs to be removed.
Vindex—Did you bother to read the article? This was in Federal Court, not State Court, so Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton didn’t prosecute this case. The actions of Devon Wegner further damaged the reputation of the Antioch Police Department and put every arrest and conviction that he was involved with in jeopardy of being overturned, due to his lack of credibility, which likely weighed heavily in the decision to prosecute this case.
Do your research. Diane Becton was SUPER involved in this case. Yes, it was brought to Federal court, but follow the history of this case. It all started with Diane Becton. Stop being ignorant and an apologist for Becton.
10 years for selling steroids? He should be let off on probation at the most ! There are people openly selling drugs on sycamore in Antioch but this is what they’re pursuing???? Makes no sense
Perhaps this will help you understand.
The police are paid to stop crime, not engage in crime.
See the difference?
“Conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids” is not the same as, “selling steroids,” Mrsy.
Mrsy—No, not 10 years for “selling steroids,” but “He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison on the conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids count and 20 years in prison on the obstruction of justice count.” This is a federal case, the “openly selling of drugs on Sycamore in Antioch” would most likely be a state case. This makes perfect sense, he’s corrupt!!!
But…wait.
I thought they were all heroes.