Carbon County court — drug cases

A Carbon County woman pleaded guilty to a drug dealing charge on Monday in the county court.

She was one of five defendants in drug-related cases to enter a plea before Judge Steven R. Serfass.

Thorpe incident

Suzanne Dee Frohnheiser, 26, of Jim Thorpe, pleaded to one count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance — heroin.

She was charged for an incident on July 26, 2017, in the 400 block of North Street. Borough police learned of a drug deal scheduled to go down in that area. They arrested Frohnheiser at the scene and found quantities of heroin on her.

She told Serfass she has an addiction problem but is seeking help.

Frohnheiser, who is currently an inmate in the county prison, was sentenced to time-served (224 days) to one day less 24 months in prison and ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment, zero tolerance for drug and alcohol use, render a total of 150 hours of community service and supply a DNA sample. The prison term will be followed by one year of probation.

Other pleas

Kelly Wheeler, 31, of Whitehall, pleaded in two pending cases to one count of possession of a controlled substance, two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and one count of possession of a small amount of marijuana.

She was arrested on the first count on July 22, 2017, in the 100 block of Main Lane by Lehighton police. Police said she had methamphetamine. The other charges stem from an incident on Nov. 24, 2017, in the area of the General Dollar Store along North First Street filed by Lehighton police.

Wheeler admitted to a drug addiction problem which she said she was addressing. A former county resident, she said she moved to Lehigh County to get away from the people she had been associating with in the drug culture.

On the first drug count Serfass placed her on probation for a year; on the second and third counts, six months probation on each, all running consecutively; and on the marijuana count a fine of $300.

She was also ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and render a total of 100 hours of community service.

Cassandra Marie Rivera, 21, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia with a charge of possession of a controlled substance dropped in a plea bargain with the district attorney’s office.

She was arrested on Nov. 14, 2017, by Palmerton police along Alley F following a traffic stop. She was a passenger in the vehicle where drugs and paraphernalia were found near her.

She is currently an inmate in the Lehigh County prison serving a probation violation term.

Serfass placed her on probation for a year, consecutive to the Lehigh term, and ordered her to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and render 50 hours of community service when paroled.

Kaitlin Nicole Frohnheiser, 26, of Jim Thorpe, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia with a charge of possession of a controlled substance dropped in a plea bargain.

She was arrested on May 20 by Jim Thorpe police in the area of West Fifth Street. Police responded to the area for a report of a suspicious person and found Frohnheiser in the area.

Serfass sentenced her to serve one to 12 months in prison with credit for 60 days already served and paroled. She was also ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and render 50 hours of community service.

Ruben Ortiz, 29, of Lehighton, entered pleas in three pending cases.

He pleaded to two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and one count of possession of a prohibited offensive weapon.

He was arrested on the first drug count on July 8, 2017, in the 100 block of South Fourth Street, by Lehighton police. He was originally charged with criminal attempt, theft from a vehicle, but that was dropped in a plea bargain. The second drug arrest occurred on Sept. 18, 2017, in the area of South First and Iron streets by Lehighton police.

The weapon count stems from a Nov. 14, 2017, incident the 500 block of Alley F filed by Palmerton police. Police responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle and found Ortiz with a set of brass knuckles.

On the first drug count Serfass sentenced Ortiz to time-served (144 days) to one year in jail; second drug count one year probation consecutive to the first count; and 18 months probation on the weapon count consecutive to the other counts.

He was also ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and render a total of 175 hours of community service.

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