Last officer in Antioch, Pittsburg police corruption case sentenced

Former Antioch officer sentenced in police corruption probe

Former Antioch police officer Eric Rombough was sentenced in a police corruption probe. 

OAKLAND, Calif. - The last of 10 former Antioch and Pittsburg police officers charged in a wide-ranging corruption case was sentenced Tuesday to more than four years in federal prison.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White sentenced Eric Rombough to four years and two months after the 46-year-old Fairfield resident ended up pleading guilty to conspiracy and two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law.

The East Bay Times noted that Rombough’s charges were the most serious; he was accused of routinely shooting people, without cause, using his less-lethal launcher, and taking advantage of lax oversight from administrators.

Rombough apologized in court and testified against two other fellow officers. 

Reading from a statement, Rombough said that "stress, frustration, isolation, and poor judgment led me down the wrong path," the East Bay Times reported.

Prosecutors say Rombough and two other officers used excessive force against civilians — including police dog bites — as a form of punishment. Officers then collected physical or photographic trophies following the incidents, according to court documents.

Investigators also found that the officers exchanged racist and sexist text messages about the incidents.