By Associated Press
Wetumpka AL – A former Wetumpka police officer was sentenced Thursday to 20 months in prison for violating federal law when he took actions on behalf of an illegal drug dealer and did not tell superiors of the relationship.
Gregory Thompson, 31, was sentenced to the term recommended under an agreement in which he pled guilty and cooperated with law enforcement, U.S. Attorney Leura G. Canary said in a statement.
According to federal prosecutors, Thomas was serving at the Wetumpka Police Department when he befriended Tony Mitchell, learned that Mitchell was involved in distributing illegal narcotics in the Wetumpka area but didn't share the information with his superiors.
Prosecutors also said that on or around Dec. 15, 2005, Thompson was on duty when Mitchell asked him to stop and search the vehicle of a man that Mitchell had just met with. Thompson, in his patrol car, pulled the man over, citing an illegal lane change, and searched the vehicle. Even though he didn't recover a package Mitchell said was in the vehicle, Mitchell paid Thompson $200 for the illegal traffic stop, Canary said in the statement.