Man linked to Costanzo to serve home confinement

He had faced up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
CLEVELAND -- A city man who told police that Atty. Maridee Costanzo wanted him to hire a hit man to kill her estranged husband will spend no time in prison but will serve 10 months in home confinement as part of his five-year probation.
William D. Cindea had pleaded guilty in June to a federal charge of illegal possession of a weapon. He appeared Wednesday in U.S. Judge David D. Dowd Jr.'s courtroom for sentencing.
He had remained free on $20,000 bond.
Pleaded guilty
In August, Costanzo was sentenced to eight years in prison for trying to have her estranged husband, Warren attorney Roger Bauer, killed. She had pleaded guilty in Judge Dowd's courtroom to a charge of use of interstate commerce facilities in commission of murder for hire.
Cindea was arrested on the weapons charge in May, about a month after he told federal officials Costanzo wanted him to arrange the murder of Bauer.
His indictment states that Cindea, who had been convicted Jan. 7, 1993, in Lawrence County, Pa., of the manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, did knowingly possess a firearm. Because Cindea was convicted of a prior felony, he is prohibited from having a firearm.
The indictment noted that Cindea had a .22-cal. Magnum revolver, a .38-cal. revolver and ammunition.
Guns found
The firearms and ammunition were found in Cindea's possession when he was arrested in March, along with Costanzo, a few blocks from Bauer's home. Costanzo had one of the guns tucked in her pants.
Cindea faced up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to a spokesman with the U.S. attorney's office. Cindea's home confinement includes a requirement that he be monitored electronically and pay a $100 special assessment.
In affidavit
In a 14-page affidavit prosecutors filed in U.S. District Court in support of Costanzo's murder-for-hire charge, it states that a source told FBI agents that Costanzo had been trying to hire him or someone to kill her husband. The source also said that he provided OxyContin pills and cocaine to Costanzo.
The affidavit states the source was driving the car the night Costanzo was arrested. Police reports indicate Cindea was the driver.
The affidavit further states that the source tape-recorded numerous conversations with Costanzo in which she repeatedly said she wanted to have Bauer killed.