BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - The

was sentenced this afternoon to one year and one day in federal prison for his guilty plea to stealing $125,000 in cash that had been seized by the task force.

Jeffrey Lynn Snyder, of Carrollton, also will have to pay $125,000 restitution to the task force, U.S. District Court Judge Inge Johnson ordered at a hearing held in Birmingham. She also ordered him to report Feb. 5 to the prison that will be designated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Johnson said she will recommend the BOP house Snyder at Maxwell minimum security prison.

Johnson told Snyder that she was giving him a break by giving him the 12-month 1-day sentence, which was below the recommended federal guidelines. The extra day allows the BOB to consider Snyder to be released after serving 85 percent of his sentence.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry Cornelius, who had recommended a sentence of 18 months at the low end of the guidelines, objected to the judge the reasonableness of the sentence.

Snyder's attorney, Jason Neff, did not object. "We are certainly pleased with the decision the judge made," he said after the hearing.

Snyder was charged in May with theft concerning a federally funded program. He entered a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Snyder joined the task force in 1989 and became its commander in June 2002. He retired a year ago.

When the unit seized money from suspected illegal drug activity, Snyder was responsible for depositing the money into bank accounts. According to his plea agreement, Snyder admitted that from June 2010 to June 2012 he pocketed "some or all of the funds seized during various arrests, and then failing to correctly account for those funds."

Johnson heard from Snyder, his wife, a daughter and a former police officer who asked for leniency for Snyder who had an otherwise 32-year unblemished career.

Snyder's wife and daughter told the judge about being tormented by the media coverage, particularly on social media.

Snyder, while sobbing, apologized to his family and to task force and Tuscaloosa Police Department where he had worked.

Tuscaloosa Police Chief Steve Anderson told the judge that what Snyder did caused the public to have less faith in police.

As a result of Snyder's greed, it also has caused financial problems for the task force, he said. For the first time in more than 30 years the task force can't pay its own way and is having to ask for help from the different communities it serves to help pay overtime, buy equipment and pay informants.

"When we betray that public trust we tarnish the badge," Anderson said.

Birmingham FBI Special Agent in Charge Richard D. Schwein, Jr issued a statement after the hearing.

"Honesty and integrity are fundamental guiding principles for any law enforcement officer, regardless of rank or position," Schwein stated. "Fortunately, Mr. Snyder's actions are not reflective of the vast majority of the men and women in law enforcement who go to work every day to protect and serve while upholding the principles of honesty and integrity. Today, Mr. Snyder pays the price for his actions and is being held accountable for violating the trust the good people of West Alabama placed in him."

U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance said in a statement that the joint task force operations are an important part of the combined law enforcement effort to control illegal drug trafficking.

"This theft by a city police captain impaired the financial condition of the unit and violated the trust placed in him by fellow officers," Vance said. "Police officers who violate their oath to protect and serve the public are rare, but those who breach that trust must be prosecuted and held to account."

Johnson said after imposing the sentence that she felt it was sufficient to protect the public. She noted he did not have a prior criminal record and said she did not believe Snyder would commit another crime.

In her more than 30 years as a state and federal judge, Johnson said, she had only had to sentence one other police officer. She said she understands what officers and their families go through.

Updated with more comments from the judge and the statement from the FBI