Cigarette smuggler Mustafa Mohd
Shaikh was caught in June 2011 on an undercover recording describing how having
the protection of a longtime sheriff's investigator meant his enterprise could
operate with impunity.
"Anything happens to you in
Chicago, this guy will get you out," Shaikh was quoted in court records as
telling an informant. "This guy is willing to protect. Nobody will touch
you or come by you."
The "guy" he was
talking about was Lawrence A. Draus, a 35-year veteran of the Cook County
Sheriff's Department who extorted thousands of dollars in cash payouts to
safeguard the cigarette smuggling operation, but to Draus' surprise the entire
setup turned out to be an elaborate government sting.
On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge
John Tharp sentenced Draus to 2½ years in prison for his role in the scheme,
saying corrupt police officers are particularly dangerous because they weaken
the public's trust in the criminal justice system.
Draus, 64, choked up as he
described how his late father — a Chicago police officer for more than three
decades — passed along some sage advice when Draus became a sheriff's deputy —
"Never lose your compassion, be fair and honest, and be careful who you trust."
Draus, who was stripped of his
police powers before retiring earlier this year while under indictment, paused
to wipe away tears before apologizing for the "disgrace" he'd brought
to his family and "all the honest police officers out there."
