LONG BRANCH — The former president of the local police union avoided having to serve jail time after pleading guilty to stealing more than $80,000 from union coffers.

Alfred Cistaro, 43, of West Long Branch, was sentenced to one year of probation as part of his plea agreement reached back in June. Cistaro admitted to taking the money over the course of a year and a half, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office said. From December 2013 through May 2015, a total 27 checks from two union accounts were written out either directly to Cistaro or to service providers of his for work he had done, the prosecutor's office said.

Out of $84,628 taken from the accounts, Cistaro was only entitled to around $4,500, the prosecutor's office said. The rest was "taken without approval or authorization from the entire membership," the prosecutor's office noted.

In addition to the probationary term, Cistaro was also ordered to repay $80,138, which he did at his sentencing last week.

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