CLINTON -- A former Clinton police officer has pleaded guilty to taking two pistols and a shotgun from the police evidence room and selling them to a pawnbroker.

Jerry Bristow, 56, remains free on bond until a pre-sentence hearing on Sept. 11. A sentencing hearing will be set then; he could face two to five years in prison for theft and official misconduct.

Bristow, who supervised the evidence room, left the force Jan. 1.

On Monday, Assistant State's Attorney Darrell Price said Police Chief Mike Reidy called for an investigation in January after he was told guns were missing from the evidence room.

"The DeWitt County Sheriff's Department was asked to do the investigation and it revealed that Bristow had taken the guns and sold them for his own profit at Midwest Exchange, a pawn shop in Bloomington," Price told DeWitt Judge Garry Bryan.

Price did not say how much Bristow was paid.

Reidy was not at the hearing. Bristow did not speak except to answer direct questions from Bryan about his understanding of the plea agreement.

Bristow originally faced eight felony charges, including official misconduct, and one misdemeanor count. The other charges were dropped in exchange for the guilty plea.