A 53-year-old Austintown man who was arrested in an undercover human trafficking sting has been sentenced to thirty days in jail and another 4 to 6 months in a halfway house facility.

Judge Anthony Donofrio handed down the sentence on Monday to Nikitas M. Zirounis, who pleaded guilty earlier to charges of compelling prostitution and to attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.

As part of the sentence, Zirounis must register as a Tier Two sex offender.

Other charges against Zirounis of soliciting and possessing criminal tools were dropped.
 
The Mahoning County Prosecutor's Office had recommended a one-year prison sentence.
 

Zirounis was arrested in August of last year along with 34 other people during a two-month-long sting operation conducted by the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force. 

At the time of the arrest, Sheriff Jerry Greene told 21 News that the arrests were made during Operation Full Court Press in a crackdown on predators seeking to engage in sexual activity with children online.