BY SUSAN WARE

On Friday, June 8, former Allenstown Police Chief James McGonigle reported to state prison, where he will spend time with inmates he helped lock up.

In March, he pleaded guilty to stealing $8,000 from three police organizations over a six-year period.

McGonigle, 58, received two sentences – a 12-month sentence on one theft charge, and a one- to three-year sentence on two other theft charges.

The court ordered McGonigle, who resigned from his post as chief last year, to pay restitution to the Allenstown Police Department, Allenstown Police Department Association and the New Hampshire Police Cadet Training Academy.

McGonigle and his attorney, George Campbell, did not return phone calls at press time.

McGonigle was arrested last June after a three-month investigation by the Attorney General’s Office, which contended that McGonigle had committed the thefts. The charges leveled against McGonigle are Class A felonies and carry maximum sentences of seven-and-a-half to 15 years in prison and a maximum fine of $4,000.

The thefts date back to 2000 and range from a $1,455 check from a police association account made out to “cash” to two $5 cash payments for parking tickets.

Allenstown selectmen accepted McGonigle’s resignation in April 2006 when the investigation began. On the same night McGonigle resigned his seat on the Concord City Council.

McGonigle had been Allenstown’s police chief for 10 years, a post he accepted after two decades with the Concord police force.