CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — A Former Antioch mayor says the U.S. Department of Justice plans to seek a federal indictment against him, a move he says is politically motivated after years of high-profile clashes with the Antioch Police Department during a sweeping federal investigation into officer misconduct.
Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe announced online that federal prosecutors informed his attorney they intend to seek an indictment.
According to the former mayor, prosecutors requested documents, which he and his attorney voluntarily provided.
Hernandez-Thorpe denied committing any crime and said the investigation is driven by politics rather than evidence.
As of today, the Department of Justice had not publicly announced charges or unsealed an indictment against Hernandez-Thorpe, according to reports.
Hernandez-Thorpe disclosed the indictment in a public statement while maintaining his innocence.
Prosecutors have not publicly detailed the allegations or announced formal charges, according to media reports.
However, the expected indictment comes after years of federal scrutiny involving Antioch city government and the Antioch Police Department.
In 2023, federal prosecutors charged multiple current and former Antioch and Pittsburg police officers and employees with crimes that included conspiracy to violate civil rights through excessive force, fraud, and obstruction-related offenses. Additional convictions and prison sentences followed as the investigation expanded, according to government news releases.
The broader federal investigation stemmed from the Antioch Police Department's racist, homophobic, and sexist text messaging scandal.
TheEast Bay Times also reported that Antioch Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker said the Department of Justice contacted her in 2025 about a housing development, suggesting the project may be connected to the federal investigation.
She said she cooperated with investigators inquiring about the Albert Ranch and had not heard about a possible indictment until Hernandez-Thorpe's statement, according to the East Bay Times.
The newspaper noted the investigation comes amid broader federal scrutiny of East Bay public officials, including separate corruption cases involving Oakland's former mayor, DeNova Homes executives, and other Contra Costa County officials.
It also recounted Hernandez-Thorpe's often-contentious tenure as mayor, which included public controversies and efforts to reform the Antioch Police Department during multiple federal investigations into officer misconduct.
Investigators found that roughly 20% to 25% of Antioch's police force was connected to offensive text exchanges uncovered during FBI and Contra Costa County District Attorney investigations. Some messages discussed violence against Hernandez-Thorpe, who frequently criticized the department while serving as mayor, according to federal prosecutors.
The fallout has continued through federal prosecutions. Earlier this year, the last of 10 current and former Antioch and Pittsburg police officers and employees sentenced in the federal cases received a 50-month prison sentence, bringing the combined prison terms for the defendants to more than 21 years, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Most recently, former Antioch police officer Matthew Nutt was sentenced to federal prison after admitting he abused his authority and intimidated residents, another conviction tied to the Justice Department's investigation into misconduct within the department, Patch previously reported.
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