A former East Union Township man will not have to spend time in prison after admitting Wednesday in Schuylkill County Court that he tried to prevent firefighters from battling a blaze in February at the building where he lived.

Henry C. Polk, 56, of Lebanon, formerly of Sheppton, pleaded guilty to obstructing emergency services, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana, with prosecutors withdrawing a charge of possession of a controlled substance.Judge Charles M. Miller accepted the plea and, pursuant to an agreement between prosecutors and Polk, sentenced the defendant to serve 12 months on probation and pay costs and $100 to the Substance Abuse Education Fund.East Union Township police had charged Polk in connection with the Feb. 5 fire at 881 Center St., Sheppton.Police said the fire started about 10:35 p.m.When firefighters arrived, Polk was standing at the front door and initially refused to get away from the burning building, although he eventually walked away, according to police.Fourteen people, eight adults and six children, had to be evacuated as a result of the fire, while Polk himself had to be taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hazleton for treatment of smoke inhalation, police said.Polk did not deny that the marijuana and paraphernalia, which firefighters found in the residence, were his."It was in my house," but not on his person, he said.However, Miller reminded him that objects do not need to be on a person's body in order for him or her to possess them. The case was not Polk's first encounter with the legal system. On March 29, he pleaded guilty to two counts each of tampering with evidence, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.At that time, Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin placed him on probation for 23 months, and also sentenced him to pay costs, $300 in SAEF payments and $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account. East Union Township police charged Polk with committing those crimes on April 26, 2015, in the township.