- A former head of the Chicago police sergeants' union was sentenced to 12 years in prison today for looting more than $1 million in union dues to pay for steak dinners, gambling trips to Las Vegas and a second residence in the city's Sauganash neighborhood.
Attorneys for John Pallohusky had asked for probation so he could continue to make restitution to the union.
But Judge Diane Cannon blasted Pallohusky's conduct, saying, "It doesn't get much lower than stealing from your fellow officers."
"This is not the land of wishes, sir," Cannon said to Pallohusky. "This is a criminal courthouse. You were charged with a crime, you plead guilty to a crime, and you're going to be sentenced for that crime."
The Sergeants union, which had been hoping that restitution was forthcoming and many die-hard supporters who had claimed the money "wasn't missing" and would be accounted for based on offers made by Pallohusky's lawyers weeks ago after the blind plea, were sorely disappointed.