A former Mississippi police officer received the maximum penalty after he pleaded guilty for his involvement in a gun theft ring.

Former Southaven police officer Tony Herring Jr. was sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. Herring pleaded guilty in March to one count of accessory after the fact.

Prosecutors alleged that Herring exploited his position and knowledge of law enforcement to help others steal vehicles and shield them from police intervention in 2023.

“This was a serious breach of public trust,” District Attorney Matthew Barton told the DeSoto Times-Tribune. Barton said taxpayers paid Herring to enforce the law. His betrayal not only damaged public confidence but also created more crime, more victims, and more costs for the people and town that he swore to protect, Barton said. That is why Herring deserved the maximum sentence, Barton said.

Barton commended the Southaven Police Department for its prompt and thorough investigation into the case.

Assistant District Attorney Steven Jubera prosecuted the case.

“This office will not hesitate to prosecute anyone who breaks the law — badge or no badge,” Barton told the DeSoto Times-Tribune. “No one is above the law in DeSoto County.”