Woman gets prison time for trespass

A Lehighton woman, who entered a neighbors house claiming she was fleeing from an abusive boyfriend, was sentenced to a Carbon County jail term on Tuesday after pleading guilty to a count of criminal trespass.

Dana Marie Getz, 41, was sentenced to serve six to one day less two years on the charge by President Judge Roger N. Nanovic. Getz was arrested by Lehighton police for entering the home of Valerie Jones, at 388 S. Second St., early in the morning on Aug. 29.

Getz said she knew Jones, who resided across the street from her. She claimed she was fleeing her boyfriend who was intoxicated and had assaulted her. She claimed she didn't think Jones would mind because she knew her.

Defense Atty. George Dydynsky said Getz damaged a screen on a window to gain entry but nothing else was damaged or taken. He said Getz wanted to get away from the boyfriend.

Nanovic, who imposed a prison term of six months to one day less two years, said Getz was on probation for just over two months on a theft count when she committed the trespass offense. Getz claimed that Jones was not going to press charges but changed her mind after her boyfriend appeared at Jones' home and caused a problem.

Dydynsky also asked the court to impose a prison term in the mitigated range because Getz is seven months pregnant and doesn't want to have the child while in prison.

Nanovic said the prison term would run to early next year and Getz said her due date for the child is in late May, meaning she would be out of jail by that time, unless she caused problems at the prison.

Nanovic also ordered her to make restitution for damages caused at the Jones home, $7.42, and supply a DNA sample and pay the $250 fee.

She was given credit for 42 days spent in prison on the charge.