A 61-year-old Vienna Township man who could have faced up to three years in prison has been sentenced to 30 days in jail after investigators say he offered to pay to someone for sex. 

In December, Neal Zickefoose appeared in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court where he pleaded guilty to one count of compelling prostitution.

As part of a plea deal, charges of importuning, soliciting, and two counts of possessing criminal tools were dismissed. 

The dismissal came after Zickefoose told the court that while there were messages that indicated the person he was communicating with was underage, he believed that to be facetious and did not actually believe he was communicating with a teenager. 

The court took that into account, as well as the fact that Zickefoose never actually showed up to a planned meeting with the person he was communicating with, in handing down the sentence .

On Thursday, Mahoning County Common Pleas Judge Anthony Donofrio handed down the 30 day sentence along with five years probation and a requirement that Zickefoose register as a Tier Two Sex Offender.

Prosecutors recommend and 18 month sentence.

According to a report filed by Austintown Police, when Zickefoose was arrested on February 18 on the 4000 block of Mahoning Avenue, he ws found with $100 that police say he planned to use to pay for sex.

An indictment states that Zickefoose arranged to meet with an undercover officer that he believed to be a person between the ages of 13 and 16, although that was amended as a part of the plea.