A veteran Chicago police officer pleaded guilty in federal court today to stealing thousands of dollars from an undercover FBI informant who he thought was working for drug dealers.



As part of his plea deal, Kallatt Mohammed, who was a tactical officer in the Wentworth police district, also admitted that in 2007 and 2008 he and Sgt. Ronald Watts extorted protection payoffs from heroin and crack dealers in the Ida B. Wells public housing complex.



Watts, who was also charged in February with Mohammed, has pleaded not guilty to the federal charges.



Mohammed pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds and faces up to about 3 ½ years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 19 by U.S. District Judge Sharon Coleman.



Mohammed admitted that he and Watts were unaware that the informant was secretly working for the FBI.



The informant -- a homeless man posing as a courier for drug dealers -– agreed to tip Watts off to drug deliveries when he would be flush with cash, so that they could confiscate the money from him in return for a kickback.



In November the informant told Watts of one delivery, authorities said. At Watts' request, Mohammed picked up $5,200 in cash from the informant, the charges alleged.



The officers thought the cash was drug money, authorities said, but it had been supplied by the FBI as part of the undercover sting.



A short time later, Watts gave the informant $400, his cut from the deal, authorities said.



Mohammed, a 14-year veteran with the Police Department, and Watts, who had been on the job for 18 years, have been stripped of their police powers and suspended without pay since their arrest in February.



jgorner@tribune.com