A Palmerton man, who admitted stealing copper wiring from the site of the former New Jersey Zinc Company property, was sentenced Tuesday to a state prison term in Carbon County court.

President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II sentenced John Joseph Vacaro III, 36, to serve 15 to 38 months in a state correctional institution.Vacaro previously pleaded guilty to one count of criminal conspiracy-theft, rated as a felony three.Vacaro was charged by Palmerton police with taking the copper from a site now owned by Northface Development.Police said the copper was stolen from wiring on pleas at the site. The estimated value of the copper taken was set at $3,717.The copper was taken to an Allentown scrap metal firm and sold. The firm became suspicious of the transactions because of the quantity and called police. The police investigation led to Vacaro.Vacaro has been charged with other criminal activity in another county, it was noted.Vacaro was also ordered to make restitution of $1,500, his share of the total, get both a drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations, zero tolerance for drug and aclohol use, supply a DNA sample, and pay court costs of about $1,000.He began the jail term immediately. Nanovic ruled he would give him credit for days spent in inpatient rehabilitation programs. The credit will be determined by the adult probation office.