Samantha Peterson, a former Antioch community services officer, was sentenced to three years of supervised release, 100 hours of community service, and restitution for her involvement in a college degree scam that earned her $3,000 in ill-gotten pay and reimbursements. Peterson avoided jail time but lost her job and reputation due to the felony conviction. She pleaded guilty to paying the girlfriend of Pittsburg Officer Patrick Berhan to take online college courses for her to obtain education incentive pay offered by the city. Peterson expressed remorse for her actions, stating that she had let down her community, her former department, and her family. She said she understood the wrongfulness of her actions and accepted full responsibility. Prosecutors had requested a three-month house arrest term, citing the breach of public trust and the need to send a message to anyone else in law enforcement who thinks the rules don’t apply to them. Peterson’s lawyer, Ellen Leonida, argued that her client had led a righteous life before and after the crime and would carry the guilt and shame of her conviction forever. The judge acknowledged the tragedy of the situation, stating that he was saddened to have to take Peterson’s guilty plea and pronounce sentence. He expressed his belief that Peterson got caught up in a culture of corruption that existed in the Antioch and Pittsburg police departments. The judge also said he hoped Peterson could recover from this experience and believed she was a strong person. Peterson was one of 14 Antioch and Pittsburg officers charged as part of a massive criminal organization. She was the first of those who face federal charges to plead guilty. The remaining officers’ charges are still pending, including three former Antioch cops charged with civil rights violations.
Former Antioch Officer Sentenced for College Degree Scam
