Police Sgt. Who Ran Corrupt Gun Unit Sentenced To 15 Years
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The former leader of the Baltimore Police Gun Trace Task Force has been sentenced in the corruption case.
Sgt. Thomas Allers was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison.
While the judge acknowledged that Allers seemed remorseful, she said the sentencing needed to be serious to send a clear message that corruption will not be tolerated.
Allers, 49, pleaded guilty to charges of racketeering conspiracy and racketeering offenses, including nine robberies.
A federal indictment listed Allers as the officer-in-charge of the Gun Trace Task Force, an elite gun crimes unit, from July 2013 until June 2016. Federal prosecutors allege he tipped off other officers that they were under investigation.
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Allers is the first of the eight members of the corrupt unit that impacted thousands of cases as the rogue cops admitted to robbing people and covering it up.
Prosecutors recommended that Allers pay more than $117,000 in restitution to the victims. That number has not been finalized.
The corrupt gun unit has a connection to murdered detective Sean Suiter, who was scheduled to testify before a grand jury as part of the investigation the day after his killing. Former Commissioner Kevin Davis said at the time that there was no evidence that Suiter's testimony was the reason for the shooting. He asked the FBI to take over the investigation into Suiter's murder.
Sentencing dates have not been set for the other 7 officers convicted in the case.
Allers has been with the BPD since 1996. The 28-page indictment lays out a number of charges, accusing Allers of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from citizens in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and Anne Arundel County.
MORE: Baltimore Police Sergeant Accused Of Stealing From Victims Pleads Not Guilty
In some of the cases, the victims were restrained. Prosecutors said in one case, Allers referred to it as taking "lunch money."
In an April 2016 robbery and extortion, prosecutors contend Allers arrested a man, then went to his home and stole more than $10,000. That man was later released and killed because he could not pay a drug debt.
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