photo by: Contributed Photos

At left are two images of a suspect in the Aug. 13, 2019 burglary of the Islamic Center of Lawrence. At right are the Douglas County Jail booking photos of Amadou O. Bah.

A man convicted of stealing between $1,000 and $2,000 cash from the Islamic Center of Lawrence was sentenced Wednesday to two years of probation.

Amadou O. Bah, 32, pleaded no contest on Oct. 17 and was found guilty of one count of burglary of a nondwelling, a felony. As part of the plea, the prosecutor dropped a felony theft charge and a misdemeanor charge of criminal damage to property.

Bah was identified as the suspect depicted in surveillance video of a burglary that occurred overnight on Aug. 13 at the Islamic Center, 1917 Naismith Drive, Lawrence police have previously told the Journal-World.

The man in the video can be seen looking at donation boxes inside the center, going back to his car, then returning with bolt cutters and removing two cash donation boxes entirely from the center’s walls, according to the affidavit in the case.

Bah also took the cash from a third donation box, police allege.

Bah’s appointed defense attorney, Julia Butler, said at his plea hearing that Bah, who is from Ghana, holds a permanent resident card and was aware that the felony conviction could affect his immigration proceedings.

If his probation is revoked, Bah faces an underlying prison sentence of 18 months in prison and 12 months of post-release supervision, Dorothy Kliem, trial assistant for the Douglas County district attorney, said via email Wednesday.

Bah must complete a theft offender program and must not return to the Islamic Center, Kliem said. He must pay $1,699 in restitution. He was also assessed court costs of $193 and a $120 felony probation fee, but he was authorized to complete community service work, Kliem said. The judge waived other fees.