HAMMOND | A former security guard for the Gary mayor's office was sentenced to two years on probation Wednesday after admitting he received $5,000 in payroll checks for time he did not work.

Kenneth Moore admitted in Hammond federal court to receiving payment from Trillium Properties, a publicly subsidized low-income housing corporation, for hours he falsely claimed to be working as a security officer at Woodlake Village Apartments in Miller in 2005 and 2006.

Moore was a member of Gary's auxiliary police force, whose members are not paid by the police but are allowed to work off-duty security jobs for payment. Moore also worked security for the Gary Housing Authority.

"I'm sorry I made the mistake," Moore told U.S. District Judge Philip Simon. "I wish I had the opportunity to redo it. I didn't think I would get in this level of trouble."

Simon also ordered Moore to pay restitution of $5,000 to Trillium.

Moore was one of two Gary auxiliary officers charged with ghost payrolling at Trillium properties. Parnell Jordan recently pleaded guilty to the charge and is awaiting sentencing.

Moore's punishment was similar to what two other public employees have received in recent years for turning in false timesheets for security work at Trillium properties in East Chicago.

Former Lake County police Chief Miguel "Mike" Arredondo was ordered in 2005 to serve two years on probation and pay $30,000 in restitution for turning in false timecards at Lakeside Gardens Apartments.

And former East Chicago interim police Chief Edward Samuels received a year of probation and had to repay $7,875 for pleading guilty that year to filing false timecards at Harborside Apartments.