Carbon County court – DUI

A Carbon County man was sentenced to a state prison term on Thursday in the county court after pleading guilty to a driving under the influence charge.

He was one of 20 to appear before President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II to plea to DUI charges during the court’s second DUI court day. The program began in December 2018 in which the court set aside a day for people charged with DUI to enter pleas, be sentenced after previously entering a plea or placed in the county’s Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition probation program.

Three counts

Jesse F. Snyder, 37, of Jim Thorpe, also pleaded to one count each of possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, and driving under suspension, DUI related. He was arrested on April 18, 2018, by Lehighton police along Bridge Street, A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.

On Dec. 20, 2018, Snyder was sentenced to serve four to nine years in a state prison on 19 criminal counts he previously pleaded to. Judge Steven R. Serfass imposed the term.

Nanovic sentenced him to serve one to five years on the DUI count; six to 12 months on the drug charge; and 90 days on the suspension count, with all terms running concurrent to each other and concurrent to the prior state sentence he is now serving. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $2,500 and his license was suspended for 18 months on the DUI charge.

Other pleas

The following also pleaded to DUI and related counts.

Amanda J. Minder, 34, of Jim Thorpe, was arrested on July 21, 2018, by state police at Fern Ridge along Route 903 in Penn Forest Township. A test revealed a 0.20 BAC.

She was sentenced to serve five days to six months in jail, a fine of $300 and one-year license suspension.

She began the jail term at 9 a.m. Feb. 1 and served three days; then Feb. 6 and serve two days.

Megan Hannah Hill, 29, of Tamaqua, was arrested on Sept. 15, 2018, by Lansford police in the area of Water and Sharpe streets. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.

She was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, a fine of $1,000 and a one-year license suspension.

She is currently an inmate in the county prison on a probation violation petition and has a pending criminal matter in Schuylkill County.

Mitchell T. Dunlap Jr., 38, of Weissport, was arrested on Sept. 13, 2018, by Lehighton police along Route 443. A test revealed a 0.10 BAC.

A first offense for sentencing purposes, he was placed on probation for six months and ordered to pay a fine of $300.

Connie A. Holcomb, 55, of Tamaqua, was arrested on Sept. 23, 2018, by Mahoning Township police along Route 443 at the drive-thru at the McDonald’s restaurant. Her vehicle “rear-ended” another vehicle. A test revealed a 0.14 BAC.

She was sentenced to serve 48 hours to six months in jail, a fine of $500 and one-year license suspension.

She is currently an inmate in the Schuylkill County prison on a probation violation petition.

Jody Lee Christman, 51, of Lehighton, was arrested on Aug. 10, 2018, by Mahoning Township police along Hemlock Drive. A test revealed a 0.17 BAC.

A first offense for sentencing purposes, he was placed on probation for six months and ordered to pay a fine of $300.

Eric K. Nelson, 46, of Orwigsburg, Schuylkill County, was arrested on Nov. 4, 2018, along Route 903 at Towamensing Trails in Penn Forest Township. A test revealed a 0.16 BAC.

A first offense for sentencing purposes, he was placed on probation for six months and ordered to pay a fine of $300.

John Hower, 33, of Lehighton, was arrested on Oct. 1, 2018, by Lehighton police along Route 443 at a service station. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.

Sentencing was deferred.

David Ross Lohmann, 65, of Tunkhannock, was arrested on Sept. 2, 2018, along the turnpike in Kidder Township by state police at Pocono. A test revealed a 0.28 BAC.

A first offense for sentencing purposes, he was placed on probation for six months and ordered to pay a fine of $300.

Guy D. Shanks, 62, of Blakeslee, was arrested on Sept. 2, 2018, along Route 902 at Lake Harmony, Kidder Township, by state police at Fern Ridge. A test revealed a 0.16 BAC.

A first offense for sentencing purposes, he was placed on probation for six months and ordered to pay a fine of $300.

Harry John Murphy Jr., 39, of Coaldale, was arrested on July 3, 2018, by Lansford police along Ridge Street after being involved in a crash. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.

He was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, a fine of $1,000 and a one-year license suspension.

He will begin the jail term at 9 a.m. on Feb. 1.

Tara Danielle Smalley, 47, of Summit Hill, was arrested on Aug. 16, 2018, by Lehighton police along Route 443. A test revealed a 0.08 BAC.

A first offense for sentencing purposes, she was placed on probation for six months and ordered to pay a fine of $300.

Sherry P. Roberts, 48, of Northampton, was arrested on July 16, 2018, by Palmerton police along Delaware Avenue. A test revealed a 0.21 BAC.

Sentencing was deferred so she can obtain a comprehensive drug and alcohol evaluation.

Candi Marie Grauvogel, 38, of Lehighton, entered pleas in two pending cases. She was arrested on May 6, 2016, by Lehighton police along Route 443 and on May 27, 2014, by Palmerton police along Route 248. In the second case she had been placed in the ARD program but was revoked for violating conditions.

Nanovic deferred sentencing so she can obtain a drug and alcohol evaluation for the 2016 case and also apply for placement in the county’s Intermediate Punishment Program, house arrest.

John Palmer Cleland Jr., 52, of Nesquehoning, was arrested on July 7, 2018, by Nesquehoning police in the 200 block of West Mill Street, where he was found behind the wheel in medical distress. He was taken to the hospital. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.

He was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, a fine of $1,000 and one-year license suspension.

He will begin the jail term at 6 p.m. on Feb. 1.

Tyrone Hargraves, 48, of Southampton, Bucks County, was arrested on Feb. 15, 2018, along the turnpike in Penn Forest Township by state police at Pocono. A test revealed a 0.28 BAC.

A first offense for sentencing purposes, he was placed on probation for six months and ordered to pay a fine of $300. On a charge of driving under suspension, he was fined $200.

Alexander Modawar, 38, of Lansford, was arrested on Aug. 16, 2018, by Lansford police along East Patterson Street. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.

He was sentenced to serve 90 days to five years in jail, a fine of $1,500 and his license was suspended for 18 months. He was given credit for 77 days spent in jail to date on the charges.

He is currently an inmate in the county prison on a probation violation petition.

Rodney Keith Rivers, 41, of Jim Thorpe, was arrested on Sept. 24, 2018, by Lehighton police along East Bridge Street. A test revealed a 0.16 BAC.

A first offense for sentencing purposes, he was placed on probation for six months and ordered to pay a fine of $300. On two summary motor vehicle code violations, he was fined a total of $110.

Dennis A. Ringler, 48, of Palmerton, was arrested on Sept. 12, 2018, by Palmerton police along Delaware Avenue. He refused a test.

Sentencing was deferred to he can obtain a drug and alcohol evaluation.

Thomas J. Willis, 35, of Summit Hill, was arrested on Aug. 25, 2018, by Lansford police in the area of Patterson and Center streets. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.

Sentencing was deferred so he can obtain a drug and alcohol evaluation.

Each defendant sentenced must also pay court costs of about $1,000, a $50 per month supervision fee and follow any recommendation of their drug and alcohol evaluation.