Minneapolis Park Police Sgt. Joey Lash was sentenced to a year in jail Wednesday after he was found guilty of misconduct by a public officer.Lash, of Brooklyn Park, was charged last year for collecting pay from the park police department for hours that he was actually teaching at Metropolitan State University and the Minneapolis Community and Technical College's Center for Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement. According to the charges, Lash collected about $20,000 more than he should have been paid from November 2004 to December 2006.
He was originally charged with seven felonies for theft by swindle of public funds and a gross misdemeanor charge for misconduct of a public officer. The felony charges were dismissed. Lash must serve 100 days of his yearlong sentence in jail; 265 days of it are stayed for two years. He was fined $3,000 and ordered to complete 270 hours of community service.MARY LYNN SMITH
