Former sheriffs deputy pleads guilty to donations theft

LAWRENCEVILLE - A former Gwinnett County sheriff&#39;s deputy has pleaded guilty to stealing donations intended for victims of last year&#39;s terrorist attacks. <br> <br> Robert Addison was sentenced Thursday to 8 years probation and agreed to give up his Georgia law officer certification. <br> <br> Addison and another deputy collected about $2,000 in cash donations at a Gwinnett County intersection in October of 2001, authorities have said. But $576 never made it to the families in New York. <br> <br> Addison, a three-year veteran of the force, was fired Dec. 8 after an investigation. <br> <br> At his plea and sentencing hearing, Addison also was ordered to complete 200 hours of community service, pay a $1,000 fine and give the American Red Cross the money he kept. <br> <br> His lawyer, Brian Steel, said Addison pleaded guilty in part to spare his family the pain of a trial. <br> <br> ``He is sorry for any disgrace he may have brought to the uniform,&#39;&#39; Steel said.