ALEXANDRIA, Va. (CBSDC/AP) — Two former Metro workers are going to prison for stealing more than $500,000 in coins and petty cash from farecard machines and using much of the money to buy lottery tickets.

On Friday, a federal judge in Alexandria imposed a three-year sentence on former Metro police officer John Haile of Woodbridge and a 2 ½ year-sentence on revenue technician Horace McDade of Bowie, Md.

Haile received a longer sentence because he still refuses to tell authorities how he obtained two keys that aided in the thefts. Both men apologized, but the judge said they were motivated by greed and imposed the sentences sought by prosecutors.

The investigation began after authorities received reports that Haile routinely brought in sacks of coins to a convenience store to buy scratch-off tickets.

Prosecutors suspected but could not prove that the two men actually stole far more than the $500,000 to which they admitted.

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