FORMER POLICEMAN SENTENCED TO PRISON

A Mobile County judge on Thursday ordered former undercover police officer
Rodney Patrick to serve three years of a 10-year prison sentence.

Patrick, 36, was found guilty in December of stealing nearly $6,000 in drug
investigation money.

He had been charged with two counts of first-degree theft of property and
two counts of second-degree theft of property. The money involved came from
the Mobile County Street Enforcement Narcotics Team, the Mobile Police
Department and other area law enforcement agencies.

The funds were intended to be used for purchasing drugs during criminal
investigations, but prosecutors said Patrick kept some of the cash.

Circuit Judge Ferrill McRae sentenced Patrick to 10 years for each offense,
suspended all but three years on each of the four counts and ordered the
sentences served concurrently.

McRae ordered Patrick to repay the $6,000 he was convicted of stealing,
because "taxpayers need to get their money back."