Former Minneapolis police officer sentenced for tax fraud

by Brandt Williams, Minnesota Public Radio

Minneapolis — A judge has sentenced former Minneapolis police officer Mike Roberts to one year in jail.

Roberts had pleaded guilty to four federal charges earlier this year.

In 2007 Roberts used his police squad computer to look up confidential information for a man he believed to be a gang member in exchange for $200. The gang member was an undercover informant for the FBI who was wearing a hidden camera.

Roberts went to trial in May, but the trial was halted when Roberts and his lawyer reached a plea agreement with the government. Roberts admitted to one count of unauthorized use of a protected computer and three counts of filing false tax returns.

Between 2004 and 2007, Roberts failed to report more than $100,000 in cash payments he received for doing off-duty work.