CHICAGO – Less than 24 hours after screaming out his innocence in court, Drew Peterson was transferred to an Illinois prison to begin serving his 38-year sentence for the murder of his third wife.

The former suburban Chicago police officer, whose case attracted widespread media attention and inspired a TV movie, entered the maximum-security Stateville prison outside Joliet early Friday. Prison officials said he could eventually be moved after an evaluation period.

A judge sentenced him Thursday for the 2004 drowning death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio.