Chicago police sergeant gets 12 years for theft

The former leader of the Chicago Police Sergeants Association has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for stealing more than $1 million from the union to fund a lavish lifestyle.

Sgt. John Pallohusky was sentenced Tuesday. He pleaded guilty in April without reaching a sentencing deal with prosecutors. Cook County Judge Diane Gordon Cannon told him “it doesn’t get much lower” than stealing from his fellow officers. The 56-year-old suspended sergeant offered a “sincere apology.”

Prosecutors say he used the union money to pay for luxuries like trips to Las Vegas or to pay off debts and the down payment on a home. He faced anywhere from probation to 15 years in prison. His defense attorney has said Pallohusky can pay up to $1.1 million in restitution.