A sentence of five years and five months for a former Honolulu police officer who sold crystal methamphetamine shows that even they must answer to the law, a police official said yesterday.

Robert Sylva, 50, a 22-year police veteran, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David Ezra for selling 3 ounces of methamphetamine for $5,400 to an informant at a Ward Avenue parking lot in March last year.

Sylva, who was wearing his uniform at the time, is no longer with the force, according to police.

Sylva pleaded guilty to the drug charge as part of a plea agreement that included the dismissal of two other counts of selling an ounce and an eighth of an ounce to the informant on two other occasions the same month.

"We are saddened for the Sylva family," Deputy Police Chief Glen Kajiyama said. "However, this sentence gives a clear message that no one, including law enforcement officers, is above the law."

He said the probe began by police investigators based on information provided by the public.

Sylva faced a prison term of 87 to 108 months under federal advisory guidelines, but Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Kawahara cited the former officer's cooperation and asked that he be sentenced to 63 to 78 months in prison.

Kawahara said that as soon as Sylva was arrested, he agreed to cooperate and assisted in the arrest of his supplier, Albert Kakuda, who was prosecuted on a drug charge and is now serving a 10-year federal prison term.

Sylva apologized yesterday to the court, the public and the police.

His lawyer Alvin Nishimura could not be reached for comment, but when Sylva pleaded guilty in December, the defense lawyer said his client never used illegal drugs and did not profit from the sales.

Sylva suffered deep depression after his parents and young child died in 2004, Nishimura said.

Sylva dated women with "drug problems" and one of those women became a government informant who turned in the officer, Nishimura said.

Sylva was arrested in March last year and has been in custody since that time. He will be given credit for the time he has spent behind bars.

Kawahara said the sentence was "appropriate."

Although his cooperation should be recognized, Sylva still was a police officer, Kawahara said. "He was never supposed to be involved in this kind of criminal activity," Kawahara said.

Kawahara also applauded the work of the police and the FBI.

Kajiyama said police will continue to work with federal investigators to maintain the public's trust in the police department.

"Drugs are a serious problem in our community, and we thank everyone who came forward with information," he said.

Reach Ken Kobayashi at kkobayashi@honoluluadvertiser.com.