When I read that former Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Chairman Michael Thomas was sentenced to 18 months in prison for embezzling more than $100,000 from the tribe he once led, I thought maybe he was getting off easy.

On the one hand, stealing $100,000 is serious stuff, and street criminals stealing much less would probably spend a lot more time behind bars.

Federal sentencing guidelines suggested Thomas should have gotten 21 to 27 months in prison.

On the other hand, the crime he was charged with - misusing a tribal credit card for things like chauffeured rides to dialysis treatment for his ailing mother - hardly seemed heinous.

Indeed, we didn't hear much outrage from the tribal members when he was arrested. I think tribal members should have been more alarmed the way Thomas frittered away money on unnecessary expansion while chairman, like the big MGM casino and the $69 million highway to nowhere, which helps motorists speed by the casino resorts on Route 2.