Carbon County court – drug cases

A Lehigh County man was sentenced to a state prison term last Friday in Carbon County court after pleading guilty to a drug-dealing charge.

He was one of six defendants in pending drug-related cases to enter a guilty plea before President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II.

Palmerton incident

Tyrus Lucas, 31, of Allentown, pleaded to one count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance - heroin, and was immediately sentenced to serve 15 to 60 months in a state correctional institution.

Lucas was arrested on Nov. 30, 2017, by agents of the state Attorney General’s office, county drug task force members and Palmerton police for an incident along Delaware Avenue following a vehicle stop. Authorities learned from a confidential informant that Lucas was coming to Palmerton from the Lehigh Valley area with heroin to sell.

Lucas was given a break when Nanovic agreed to run the sentence concurrent with a 15- to 60-month term he is serving in a state prison now imposed in Lehigh County. That sentence was imposed on Jan. 7.

Lucas was also ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment and supply a DNA sample.

Kristin Davis, 26, of Breinigsville, Lehigh County, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. She was arrested at the same vehicle stop as Lucas. In exchange for the plea, a count of possession of a controlled substance was dropped.

Nanovic sentenced her to serve one to 12 months in prison, get a drug and alcohol evaluation and zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use.

She was given credit for two days already served and began her term immediately. When she is finished with the term, she will be returned to Lehigh County, where she is facing a probation violation proceeding.

Other pleas

Ryan P. Yanchura, 24, of Nesquehoning, pleaded to two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested on Sept. 19, 2017, and again on Oct. 26, 2017, both times by Nesquehoning police.

Nanovic placed him on probation for a year on each count, running concurrently, and ordered he get both a drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations and zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use.

The terms run concurrent to a state prison term he is serving of two to five years on a charge of processing and distributing child pornography. The term was imposed on Dec. 18, 2018, by Carbon Judge Joseph J. Matika.

Matthew Colby Mark, 28, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count of possession of a controlled substance - heroin. He was arrested on Jan. 1 along South Second Street by Lehighton police following a traffic stop.

Nanovic sentenced him to serve 10 days to one year in jail, get a drug and alcohol evaluation and zero tolerance for drug and alcohol use.

He was given credit for four days already served. He is currently an inmate in the county prison on a probation violation petition filed by the adult probation office.

Ginger Leigh Eldridge, 39, of Nesquehoning, pleaded guilty in two pending cases to two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia. She was arrested on Nov. 23, 2018, by Summit Hill police along Route 901 following a traffic stop. The second arrest was on Jan. 3 by Nesquehoning police who went to the area of Industrial Road to serve a warrant on her. She was working as a security guard at the time.

Nanovic placed her on probation for a year on each count, running concurrently, and ordered her to get a drug and alcohol evaluation.

Ashley Marie Weirich, 24, of Tamaqua, pleaded in two pending cases to one count each of possession of drug paraphernalia and criminal trespass, a felony.

She was arrested on the drug count on Sept. 28, 2018, by Lansford police in the area of the Penn Mart on West Patterson Street. She was arrested on the trespass count on Oct. 20, 2018, also by Lansford police, for entry to a home along West Kline Avenue. In that case, the DA dropped a burglary and possession of drug paraphernalia charges.

Nanovic deferred sentencing and ordered the adult probation office to prepare a presentence investigation report. Weirich will also apply for placement in the county’s Intermediate Punishment Program - house arrest.

Each defendant sentenced must also pay court costs of about $1,000 and a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole or probation.