Former Armenian American police detective who helped the Mexican Mafia and Armenian organized crime has been sentenced to federal prison.

John Balian received a 21-month-sentence on Friday. He pleaded guilty earlier this year to bribery, obstruction of justice and lying.

Balian acknowledged that while he was a Glendale police officer, he tipped off Mexican Mafia members that authorities were planning to arrest a high-ranking member of an associated gang, allowing the man to escape arrest for a month.

He also lied to federal agents about his relationships with the prison gang and Armenian criminals.