1 To 3 Years For Ex-Suffolk Police Sergeant Accused Of Stealing During Traffic Stops

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A former Suffolk County police sergeant was sentenced to one to three years in prison Friday, after being convicted of stealing money from two men he pulled over.

As WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reported, there were tears throughout the courtroom – in the back of the room from the friends of the victims, and near the judge from former Suffolk police Sgt. Scott Greene himself.

Greene, 52, apologized again and again to the victims and to his family.

Greene, who has since retired from the department, was accused of pulling over six Hispanic drivers and stealing between $50 and $100 in cash from their wallets, then letting the men go. The incidents allegedly happened between 2010 and 2014.

In January, Greene was acquitted of the most serious charge of grand larceny as a hate crime. The jury, however, did convict him of lesser larceny charges and misdemeanor official misconduct.

At the start of Greene's trial, defense attorney Scott Gross conceded Greene had taken $100 during a videotaped undercover sting operation in 2014, but denied that his client targeted Hispanics.

Gross said yes, his client committed that crime out of greed, but the witnesses in the other cases were lying.

The judge in the case agreed that Greene committed the crime not because of hate, but because of opportunity. He then sentenced Greene.

"I see firsthand the pain and the suffering, not only the victims, but their families, their children," said victim advocate Irma Solis.

There is still much more to the case. On April 1, Greene will return to court to face additional charges of stealing from 20 other victims.