Theadora Ross, a former Dallas police officer who headed Dallas Crime Stoppers, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison for stealing from the popular cash-for tips program, reports the Dallas Morning News. Ross was ordered to pay $274,304 in restitution to the North Texas Crime Commission and the Internal Revenue Service.

Ross sought probation, saying her daughter, who was born with Down syndrome, suffers from a sleep disorder and has pacemaker implants. The 26-year veteran officer was arrested last year. From 2005 through early 2010, Ross would give bogus tip information to an accomplice, Malva Delley, who collected cash rewards from the bank. The pair would split the money. Anonymous tipsters can earn up to $5,000 for information leading to prosecution. Callers would be given a tip number and would check in regularly to see if they earned a reward. If so, they would use the number and a code word to collect their cash.