Cop caught in bribery sting sentenced


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."