A Farrell man who pleaded guilty to stealing copper pipe and wire in January was sentenced Thursday to 6 months to a year in jail, plus another 5 months to 2 years for violating probation.

Common Pleas President Judge Francis J. Fornelli also gave James C. Somerville, 49, of 833 Market Avenue, four years’ probation.

Somerville pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property on Aug. 7 for a Jan. 2 incident in which police say he and an accomplice stole pipe and wire from a home in the 600 block of South Oakland Avenue.

“I’m going to give you the last break you’re going to get,” Fornelli said. He also told Somerville he could sentence him for up to seven years, and asked him for the location of the place he planned on fencing the stolen metal.

“I assume you weren’t going to stand on a curb with a sign saying, ‘stolen copper,’ ” Fornelli said.

Somerville eventually told the judge where his accomplice planned to sell the stolen pipe and wire.

Fornelli cited Somerville’s 15 years of continued, full-time employment and a long gap between current charges and his prior record. He confirmed from Somerville that the stolen pipe was to fuel a drug habit and warned him to stop using.

He said he was sentencing him with probation to put a “long tail” on Somerville’s charges, threatening six more years of jail time if he returned.

“The bottom line is, you’re the man and you have to choose whether you’re going to use or not,” Fornelli said. He told him at his age, he couldn’t afford six more years in prison.

“Jim, I’m older than you are,” he said. “Every day is precious.”