Carbon County court – drug-related cases

A Bethlehem man pleaded guilty to a drug dealing charge on Thursday afternoon in Carbon County court.

He was one of six defendants in pending drug-related cases to enter a guilty plea before Judge Steven R. Serfass.

Vehicle stop

Kevin G. O’Neill, 51, pleaded to one felony count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, cocaine, and a count of driving under the influence. He was arrested on Oct. 8, 2018, by Lehighton police following a traffic stop along Route 443 at Ninth Street during the early morning hours. The police report indicates they found 22.9 grams of cocaine in the vehicle. Police also indicated some methamphetamine was also found.

O’Neill is currently an inmate in the county prison.

Sentencing was deferred so he can obtain a drug and alcohol evaluation for the DUI charge.

Other pleas

Kyle William McFarland, 27 of Ashfield, pleaded to one count each of criminal conspiracy-theft and unauthorized purchase of a controlled substance. In exchange for the plea, felony counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and criminal use of a communication facility and two misdemeanor drug counts were dropped by the DA.

McFarland was arrested on March 14, 2018, by Jim Thorpe police and the county drug task force in the area of the Jim Thorpe Market where a drug sale was arranged by the task force using a confidential informant. The theft charge was filed after police learned that McFarland was not going to deliver the drugs but “rip off” the buyers.

McFarland told Serfass that he addressed a drug addiction problem by entering the inpatient Salvation Army program and stayed in it for 237 days. He also spent 118 days in prison on the charges.

Serfass sentenced him to time-served, 355 days, to one day less 24 months in prison on the drug charge and one year probation on the conspiracy count with the terms running consecutively. He was also ordered to render a total of 150 hours of community service and get a drug and alcohol evaluation.

Heather L. Sillers, 42, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count of possession of a controlled substance, heroin. She was arrested on Sept. 21, 2018, by Lehighton police following a traffic stop along Route 443 near the Sunoco service station.

Serfass sentenced her to time-served, five days, to one year in jail and ordered her to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment and render 50 hours of community service.

Katie L. Murphy, 36, of Albrightsville, pleaded to one count of possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine. She was arrested on Nov. 9, 2018, by state police at Fern Ridge along Cummings Lane in Penn Forest Township.

Serfass placed her on probation for a year, consecutive to a probation term she is currently serving, and ordered her to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and render 50 hours of community service.

Ginger Eldridge, 40, of Nesquehoning, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. She also pleaded to motor vehicle code violations. She was arrested on March 8 by Lansford police following a traffic stop along Patterson Street.

Serfass placed her on probation for a year and ordered her to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and render 50 hours of community service. On the two summary offenses she was fined a total of $225 and costs.

Alainna Bunch, 38, of Jim Thorpe, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia with a count of possession of a controlled substance dropped in a plea bargain.

She was arrested on April 6 by state police at Fern Ridge following a traffic stop at Route 903 and Old Stage Road in Penn Forest Township.

She was placed on probation for a year and ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and render 50 hours of community service.

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