A former city detective who joined in the "Cream Scheme" and made $354,000 has been granted probation.
George Striker appeared Monday afternoon before Federal Judge Sandy Mattice.
Striker, who earlier pleaded guilty to health care fraud, was initially in a guideline range of 18-24 months. He was given points off for acceptance of responsibility, dropping the range to 12-18 months.
Prosecutor Perry Piper said Striker provided valuable help to the government during its investigation of the scheme in which individuals were recruited to order creams that were billed to insurance companies at exorbitant rates.
He testified for almost a day for the government in the trial of five defendants in the case - Wayne Wilkerson, Michael Chatfield, Kasey Nicholson, Jayson Montgomery and Billy Hindmon. Those individuals are due to find out on March 3 whether Judge Mattice rules them them guilty or innocent.
Prosecutor Piper said Striker, who was a Chattanooga detective from 1993-1999, furnished texts in the scheme and also provided audio statements of others involved that he taped. He said some of that evidence was against Chatfield and also against Jimmy Collins, a former Birchwood resident who was prosecuted in California.
Striker is on three years probation.
On paying back the money, his attorney, Richard Gaines of Knoxville, said there was a question of "his ability to pay."