NEW CASTLE Former director sentenced

Pallerino agreed to testify against another man as part of his plea.
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- The city's former parking director will serve two years' probation and pay $20,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to one count of theft.
Donald Pallerino, 56, now a Florida resident, was sentenced earlier this week by Judge Ralph D. Pratt in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.
District Attorney Matthew Mangino said his office originally offered Pallerino a plea agreement where he could serve 90 days' house arrest and one year's probation, but Judge Pratt rejected the offer.
Mangino said the judge was concerned that house arrest wouldn't be possible in Florida.
The judge instead sentenced Pallerino to two years' probation, which he will serve in Florida, Mangino said.
As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors dropped charges against Pallerino's son, John. Pallerino must also testify against a third man, John Cubbal Jr.
Cubbal, who worked as a maintenance enforcement officer for the parking authority from 1987 to 1999, is waiting to go to trial.
Charges
All three were charged with stealing more than $12,000 from the authority, including money collected from parking meters.
Police also believed Donald Pallerino used some 73 parking authority checks totaling $8,000 for personal use.
The charges were the result of a yearlong investigation.
Mangino said Pallerino paid his $20,000 fine Wednesday and that money will be returned to the city.
Pallerino served as parking authority director from 1987 to August 1999, when he abruptly resigned. His son was employed as a maintenance-enforcement officer from 1998 to 1999.