Yavorcik sentenced to community control, house arrest, no jail Copyright by WKBN - All rights reserved Video

CLEVELAND (WKBN) - Former Youngstown-area attorney Martin Yavorcik was sentenced Friday on charges in relation to the Oakhill corruption case.

Yavorcik avoided prison time, but he was sentenced to five years of probation for each count for racketeering, bribery, conspiracy and tampering with records. He will spend the first year of his sentence on house arrest.

Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Janet Burnside said she questions what benefits taxpayers get by being forced to pay for Yavorcik's prison bed, while prosecutors objected to the sentencing, saying probation did not fit the seriousness of the crimes.

Yavorcik said he was grateful for getting another chance.

"It's a lot of punishment, I mean, I'm a convicted felon," he said. "I'm 42. I lost my law license. I'm gonna pick up the pieces."

He said he will still appeal his conviction.

Yavorcik represented himself at trial. He and others were accused of having roles in an unsuccessful effort to stop the move of county offices from a building owned by the Cafaro Company to Oakhill Renaissance Place.

Youngstown Mayor John McNally and former Mahoning County Auditor Michael Sciortino each received probation last month after a plea deal.

Prosecutors say Yavorcik offered to drop a criminal probe of McNally and Sciortino if he were elected prosecutor.