Township fire chief sentenced

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — Francis “Poncho” Exposito, 59, the longtime Mahoning Township fire chief, was re-elected fire chief on the eve of his sentencing for misuse of a fire department credit card.

Judge Dominick Motto of Lawrence County Common Pleas Court accepted Exposito into an Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program at a Thursday hearing.

Judge Motto remarked in granting his request for the alternative sentencing program that Exposito has no prior criminal record, has had a long life in public service, has made restitution and admitted the credit-card use when confronted.

He said the embarrassment Exposito has suffered is more than enough punishment for what he did.

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