Authorities said former Shelby County Sheriff Dean Kimpel will avoid prison as long as he does not violate his probation.

Kimpel was sentenced Friday morning from Judge Robert Lindeman, a visiting judge from Miami County Common Pleas Court.

Lindeman sentenced Kimpel to serve two years of probation and ordered him to pay a $1,000 fine, plus court costs.

If he violates probation, Kimpel could go to prison for up to nine months. The maximum sentence would have been 12 months.

The sentencing comes after Kimpel pleaded guilty in April to misusing a law enforcement computer.

The guilty plea was part of a deal in which four other counts of misusing a law enforcement computer were dismissed and a sexual battery charge out of Auglaize County was also dismissed.

As part of the conditions of his probation, Kimpel is not allowed to have any contact with former deputy Jodi Van Fossen, whom he was accused of assaulting in July 2010.

When given the opportunity to speak, Kimpel told the judge he had nothing to say.

As of 10 a.m., Kimpel rendered his resignation as the sheriff of Shelby County.

As part of the plea deal, Kimpel cannot work in law enforcement for the rest of his life.