YOUNGSTOWN — David A. Collica, 31, of Mantua was sentenced to nine months in prison Tuesday and must register as a sex offender after pleading guilty to three charges stemming from an underage sex sting.

Collica pleaded guilty in October to importuning, attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and possessing criminal tools.

Importuning involves soliciting a person under a certain age to engage in sexual activity. The criminal tools in this case was the use of a cellphone to try to arrange for sex.

Collica was charged after the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office and the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force carried out a sting operation in July in which undercover officers draw individuals to Mahoning County to engage in what they believe will be sex with a minor but is instead a law enforcement officer.

Collica also must register his address with the sheriff’s office where he lives every six months for 25 years.

Caitlyn Andrews, assistant county prosecutor, said Collica had discussions “with someone he believed to be a 15-year-old boy.”

Collica went to the location to have sex and was arrested by the task force, Andrews said.

Collica told Judge Krichbaum that his actions were selfish. “I did not put the most important things in my life first, which is my two boys. Regardless of my marriage and the problems I had, I did not put my two boys first, and that was the worst mistake I have ever made in my life, and it’s the worst mistake I am ever going to make in my life.”

He said he has started going to church and is in a recovery program.

“I am owning up to the situation and issues I have as a sex addict, a porn addict and self-esteem issues. I realize I put all of that in front of me before my children,” he said.

He was a mechanical engineer but lost his job. “I sold my truck and got rid of my pride to make money to keep a house over my kids’ head.”

He said, “I do plan to continue forward.”

Judge Krichbaum said he credits the task force for educating the public on “how widespread this type of thing is. Every couple months they arrest 30, 40 people engaged in this type of activity.”