FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. _ A West Palm Beach police officer who became a thief on the job agreed to find another career while pleading guilty Monday to a misdemeanor theft charge.
Zachary Immler was sentenced to 12 months' probation; the term could be cut in half if he avoids more trouble, court records show.
Immler admitted that he took $6,520 in cash from a residence he searched Oct. 25 as part of a narcotics investigation and hid it inside a black latex glove placed in a rifle case.
"I got the money; I did something stupid," Immler, 31, told investigators from his own police department, according to an arrest report. "I put the money in my car; I made a bad mistake."
The plea deal enabled Immler to avoid prosecution on a grand theft felony charge punishable by up to five years in state prison.
The terms call for Immler to voluntarily resign from the Police Department and give up his law enforcement license within 30 days.
Immler, who has been on administrative leave, also will have to complete a class intended to prevent repeat thefts, under the plea requirements negotiated by defense attorney Michael Salnick and Assistant State Attorney Brian Fernandes.
After Immler was arrested in December, his employer released a statement noting that the department "holds its employees to the highest professional standards."
"When we learned of the potential breach of public trust, it was immediately investigated, determined to be criminal in nature, and criminal charges were filed against the employee," West Palm Beach Police Sgt. Dave Lefont wrote.
