TROY — Detective Aaron Collington had an opportunity Wednesday to bring an end to allegations he stole $6,200 from the police union he once led, and avoid prison time.

Instead, he'll take his chances and risk being convicted of a grand larceny charge that could put him behind bars for up to seven years.

The 50-year-old officer retired less than a day before turning down the plea deal in Rensselaer County Court on Wednesday. The decision sets the stage for an April 29 trial.

"When there's a plea deal offered, it's the client's decision to make," said Collington's attorney, Joseph Ahearn.

The plea offer from Special Prosecutor Linda Griggs would have spared Collington any time behind bars in return for his guilty plea to grand larceny, a felony, and a promise to complete 250 hours of community service.

The felony would have been reduced to petit larceny, a misdemeanor, if he had completed the community service and stayed out of trouble for a year.

Collington appeared headed toward taking a plea deal after he retired from the Troy Police Department on Tuesday. In earlier hearings before before County Court Judge Jennifer Sober, the defense said he would retire before making a plea.

Griggs declined to comment on Collington's decision.

The detective was arrested in October 2017, but aside from an initial suspension he remained on the job and hit the 20-year threshold to qualify for a full pension.

Collington had appeared on Sober's court calendar several times since he qualified for retirement in late 2018. When the court appearance was delayed past Jan. 1, Collington picked up six new weeks of vacation time he'll be paid for now that he is retired, a fact confirmed by several city officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Collington was indicted last summer for allegedly stealing from the Troy Police Benevolent Association while he was its president. The bargaining unit represents 118 patrol officers, detectives and sergeants.

He used the money to pay rent, according to the police complaint. Collington made $79,926 in 2017, according to seethroughny.net, a website that lists government payrolls in New York. Collington has been free without bail since his October 2017 arrest.

Officer Nick Laviano, the current PBA president and Collington's successor, attended the hearing Wednesday. Laviano declined to comment on the case.

Colington has repaid the money he allegedly took.

Griggs was assigned the case by Albany County District Attorney David Soares after he was named as a special prosecutor. Then-Rensselaer County District Attorney Joel E. Abelove asked that his office be recused from the case.