Abigail Acosta, at left, stands with her attorney, Brian Tareshawty, during Acosta's plea hearing in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

YOUNGSTOWN – An assistant prosecutor called Abigail L. Acosta, 23, of Victor Avenue, “a small cog in a fairly large theft ring” as he asked Judge Maureen Sweeney of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to give her three years of probation.

The judge agreed, also ordering Acosta to perform five days of community service.

Assistant Prosecutor Rob Andrews said that as part of Acosta’s plea agreement, she must continue to cooperate with prosecutors and the Ohio State Highway Patrol, which investigated the case.

If Acosta fails to live up to the terms of her agreement, prosecutors will ask the judge to revoke her probation, Andrews said.

Brian Tareshawty, Acosta’s attorney, told the judge Acosta “had nothing to do with the thefts,” but she “made some mistakes along the way” by not leaving her boyfriend, co-defendant Ronald J. Adams, 23, of Columbia, S.C., and not cooperating with investigators initially.

Adams and Acosta are two of five people indicted in the case. The others are Derrian M. Thomas, 19, Colby Avenue, engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, two counts of breaking and entering, one count of theft, one count of receiving stolen property and 17 counts of grand theft of a motor vehicle; Brandon M. Ogden, 23, Victor Avenue, one count of breaking and entering and 15 counts of grand theft of a motor vehicle; and Derrick L. Thomas, 48, Parkcliffe Avenue, five counts of receiving stolen property.

For more on this story, read Wednesday’s Vindicator.