The former chief of the Walthill Police Department has been sentenced to probation for taking money intended for investigations.

U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Bataillon on Friday ordered 41-year-old Joel Tyndall to serve four years' probation and to repay the $3,500 he took.

Tyndall had faced up to 10 years in prison on the charge of theft of public money.

Tyndall pleaded guilty in June to taking money handed down by the federal government for drug investigations.

A news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office says Tyndall told the FBI that he gave some of the money to relatives and spent some on department purchases.