MUNICIPAL COURT Heat contractor misses court; warrant issued

WARREN -- A warrant has been issued for a heating and air-conditioning contractor who failed to appear in court on misdemeanor tax charges.
Judge Terry Ivanchak of Warren Municipal Court issued the warrant for Dennis L. Pirko Wednesday after the North Jackson man failed to appear for a hearing, according to Peggy Scott, court clerk.
Pirko faces six charges each of failing to make a return and failure to pay taxes. Neither Pirko nor his attorney, Don L. Hanni, could be reached for comment. Pirko had pleaded innocent to the charges.
Trumbull County work
Pirko, who made hundreds of thousands of dollars from doing heating and air-conditioning work for Trumbull County government, also faces felony theft and bribery charges in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.
According to county prosecutors, Pirko paid bribes to former maintenance department director Tony Delmont, including $3,500 Delmont used to buy credit in the Ohio Public Employee Retirement System, prosecutors say.
Pirko's one-man company, Northern Engineering, billed Trumbull County $327,000 for parts and labor since 1997. Pirko is free on $50,000 bond.