Carbon County court — assault cases
Four defendants in cases involving assault counts entered guilty pleas before Judge Steven R. Serfass in county court on Friday.
Edward Snyder, 46, of Jim Thorpe, pleaded guilty to two counts of simple assault and one count of harassment.
He was charged for incidents on Feb. 23, 2013, March 3, 2014, and June 4, 2015, involving his former live-in girlfriend as the victim in each case and occurring at a residence along East Abbott Street filed by Lansford police.
The cases have a long history as Snyder left the area for a period of time before being arrested.
Serfass deferred sentencing.
Shannon Peter Steigerwalt, 42, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count of simple assault.
He was arrested by state police at Lehighton for an incident on April 5, 2017, in the 200 block of White Street in Weissport. He assaulted a female at that location, hitting her in the face with a coffee cup.
He also pleaded to a driving under the influence charge for an incident on Jan. 26, 2013, along Iron Street filed by Lehighton police. A test revealed a 0.17 BAC. He was previously placed in the Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition probation program but was revoked for violating conditions.
Sentencing was deferred as Serfass ordered the adult probation office to prepare a presentence investigation report.
Jerome Franklin Strohl, 43, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count of simple assault.
He was arrested for an incident on June 12, 2017, in the 300 block of North Alley by Lehighton police.
Police responded to an altercation involving Strohl and Ann Marie Hartzell, 51, of Lehighton. In a plea bargain, a charge of strangulation, applying pressure to the throat or neck, was dropped.
Serfass sentenced him to time-served (10 days) to one day less 24 months, and ordered he get a drug and alcohol evaluation, attend and successfully complete an anger-management counseling and render 100 hours of community service.
It was noted that Hartzell has been charged for her part in the incident with aggravated and simple assault and drug counts. She has applied for placement in the ARD program. The hearing on that request is scheduled for March 12.
Sami Jo Margaret Green, 26, of Lansford, pleaded to one count of simple assault.
She was arrested on July 6, 2014, for an incident in the 100 block of West Sixth Street in Jim Thorpe, where she assaulted a man. She was previously placed in the ARD program but was revoked for violating conditions.
She also pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia for an incident on March 12, 2017, in the parking lot of the Fuel Up station along East Catawissa Street, filed by Nesquehoning police.
On the assault count Serfass sentenced her to serve one to 18 months in prison with credit for 164 days already served and paroled her. On the drug count she was placed on probation for six months, consecutive to the assault charge.
She was also ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation, no contact with the victim and render a total of 100 hours of community service. She is an inmate in the county prison on the charges.
Each defendant sentenced must also pay court costs of about $1,000 and a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole or probation.
