A federal judge today sentenced Mark Titus to five years in jail following his guilty plea on conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
 
Prosecutors say Titus embezzled more than $1 million from a local construction company he co-owns.  The embezzlement scheme was allegedly aided by Dominick Fazzio, Titus' brother-in-law and prominent officer of River Birch Landfill.
 
Titus was also ordered to forfeit $925,000 in assets.  He had attempted to withdraw his guilty plea, but Judge Ivan Lemelle ruled that the plea will stand.
 
It now remains to be seen if Titus will continue to aid the government in its investigation of River Birch.  Prosecutors can request that the judge reduce the sentence if Titus cooperates. 
 
Fazzio, also indicted and charged in the alleged embezzlement scheme, has refused to cooperate with federal officials in a wide-ranging investigation of alleged criminal activity by operators of River Birch.