More charges: Five Antioch, Pittsburg cops allegedly accepted bribes, including tequila, to make traffic tickets go away
The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office has charged five Antioch and Pittsburg police officers in an alleged conspiracy to drop traffic tickets in exchange for apparent bribes of food and liquor, court records filed Friday show.
The documents show former Antioch police Officer Timothy Manly Williams was charged with felony counts of conspiracy to commit an act injurious to public and accepting a bribe in a 2020 case where he allegedly accepted Teremana tequila – the brand founded by actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – from a person in exchange for help making a traffic ticket go away.
The tequila made its way to Antioch patrol Officer Andrea Rodriguez, who court documents allege received the tequila for failing to appear in court Nov. 2, 2020, in a traffic case despite being subpoenaed. Other officers implicated in the court documents include Antioch patrol Officer Calvin Prieto; former Pittsburg Officer Ernesto Mejia-Orozco and Antioch Officer Ben Padilla.
The officers are scheduled to appear in court for arraignment Sept. 13, according to online court records. It was not immediately clear whether they had retained attorneys.
The state charges by the Contra Costa DA’s Office are the latest shoe to drop in a sprawling investigation of criminal conduct allegedly carried out by Antioch and Pittsburg police officers.
An FBI investigation led to the indictment Thursday of 10 people, including five Antioch police officers, four Pittsburg police officers and an Antioch community services officer. The alleged crimes ranged from police violence, college credit scams, steroid distribution and a single indictment charging Manly Williams with obstructing a murder investigation.
During the 18-month probe, investigators discovered both incriminating and racist text messages between Antioch officers, including by Prieto and Rodriguez, who exchanged messages about disproportionately targeting Black people for citations, according to previously released documents by the Contra Costa DA’s office. In one exchange, the two discussed impounding cars and wanting to “make n—as eat s—,” according to the report.
According to figures in the report, Prieto issued 107 citations from Sept. 9, 2020, to Oct. 8, 2020. About 30% were issued to Black people. Rodriguez issued 114 citations in the same time frame. About 27% were issued to Black people.
Black people comprised about 16.5% of Antioch’s population in 2022.
The new bribery case indicates that Manly Williams was the catalyst for incidents where tickets were set aside, authorities say. In one instance, he allegedly texted Prieto on Oct. 2, 2020, looking for Rodriguez’s help on a traffic case.
“Yoo (sic) this dude hit me up and said he will pay Rodriguez $300 not to show up to traffic court,” Manly Williams allegedly said in a text to Prieto, according to the documents. Prieto allegedly sought Rodriguez’s cooperation, and then texted Manly Williams back, saying Rodriguez was willing to not appear in court.
“She said she won’t show up,” Prieto allegedly said in a text. “And that there’s no obligation to a bottle. But if one randomly appears she’ll take it.”
An uncharged member of the alleged conspiracy then purchased three bottles of Teremana tequila as a payment to Rodriguez, authorities allege. Teremana tequila currently sells at local retail stores for $29.99 to $33.99, depending on whether it’s Reposado or silver.
On April 13, 2021, Manly Williams allegedly texted Padilla about a ticket issued to a man who owned a local liquor store, right after Manly Williams and Mejia-Orozco had discussed it.
“He owns the liquor store where the guys grab there (sic) drinks and snacks,” Manly Williams allegedly wrote in a text. “The officer said he would get you a good lunch if you were able to take care of it.”
Later that day, Padilla allegedly asked a lieutenant in the department for permission to remove the ticket, according to multiple law enforcement sources. Then he followed up with Manly Williams about it, according to the criminal complaint.
“Let your boy know that he can tell Abdul that the ticket will be cancelled,” Padilla allegedly wrote. “He will not have to worry about it.”