Both Danser and Randy Bishop, a former Los Gatos­Monte Sereno police detective, and were placed on three-year probation July 26 for their involvement in a recent ticket-fixing scandal. Each was given 90 days of jail time, 400 hours of community service and $1,200 in fines and restitution fees.

Danser, a former Los Gatos resident now living in Saratoga, was convicted in April of obstruction of justice for allegedly fixing 33 tickets—29 for traffic violations and four for driving under the influence.

Bishop, who moved to Canada with his family in 2003, plead no contest to obstruction of justice for referring San Jose Sharks and Earthquakes players and Sharks owner Greg Jamison to Danser with tickets. Bishop was working as a security consultant for the Sharks at the time.

Both men's attorneys described their clients as upstanding people who simply used bad judgment, and asked Santa Cruz County Judge William Kelsay to sentence them for misdemeanors rather than felonies.

Deputy District Attorney David Pandori argued that the case was indeed a felony and should be sentenced as such. He said the former judge and detective should be punished the same way civilians would.

"Obstruction of justice is a crime, it's not an ethical violation," Pandori told the judge. "They set up two systems of justice: one for their friends and athletes, and one for everybody else."

Kelsay, who heard the case in a Santa Clara County Superior courtroom, said the men had clearly abused their powers and committed felonies. He said that before he and his brother entered public service careers, his father, also in the judicial system, told them they would have no friends while serving—presumably implying that Bishop and Danser would not be standing before him if they had received similar advice.

"I do not like the role I'm in at this point, but I have a responsibility," he said before handing down the sentences. "I wish I really understood more what was going on, but at this time I'm still mystified."

Both men are eligible to serve their jail time under house arrest, but Kelsay said that if Bishop chose that option, he might need to do so in Santa Clara County.

Danser, 50, was disbarred and will lose his retirement package.