Carbon County court — drug cases

A Luzerne County man was sentenced to a county prison term on Thursday in Carbon County court on drug charges.

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

Weatherly incident

Tyler Jacob Palermo, 24, of Weston, was sentenced to serve three to one day less 24 months in prison on a charge of criminal use of a communication facility, a felony 3, and one year probation on a charge of possession of a controlled substance. The terms run consecutively.

Palermo was arrested on Nov. 6, 2018, when Weatherly police responded to an apartment along Evergreen Avenue. Palermo was found on scene with illegal substances found in a backpack. He was originally charged with nine criminal counts.

Serfass also ordered him to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment, zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use, supply a DNA sample and render a total of 150 hours of community service when paroled.

He will begin the jail term at 9 a.m. on Sept. 13. He was given credit for 23 days already served and granted work release privileges.

Other pleas

Michael Atkinson, 29, of Coaldale, pleaded to one count of possession of a controlled substance - heroin. He was arrested on May 5 by Nesquehoning police at a residence along East Columbus Avenue after a search warrant was executed.

Serfass sentenced him to serve one to 12 months in prison and ordered he get a drug and alcohol evaluation and render 50 hours of community service. Atkinson is currently an inmate in the county prison on a probation violation charge. He began the term immediately.

Dante Lewis Matos, 31, of Jim Thorpe, pleaded in two pending cases to two counts of possession of a controlled substance - cocaine.

He was arrested on Sept. 16, 2015, by Jim Thorpe police after making a drug sale to a confidential informant, and on Sept. 25, 2015, when police found him with cocaine after receiving a tip.

Serfass deferred sentencing ordering the adult probation office to prepare a presentence investigation report.

Raymond Joseph Bender III, 36, of Palmerton, pleaded to one count of possession of a controlled substance - methamphetamine. He was arrested on March 4 by state police at Fern Ridge at the county prison. He was brought to the prison by troopers when he was picked up on an outstanding warrant. While being process into the jail drugs were found.

Serfass placed him on probation for a year, concurrent with a 90 days to five-year term he is currently serving in the county prison on weekends, and ordered he render 50 hours of community service.

Meagan Doreen Rodriguez, 30, of East Stroudsburg, pleaded to one count each of possession of a controlled substance — heroin, and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was arrested on Jan. 5, 2018, by Lehighton police following a traffic stop at South Ninth and Iron streets.

She was placed on probation for a year on the first count and six months probation on the second, with the terms running consecutively. She was also ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and render a total of 75 hours of community service.

She is currently in the Monroe County prison serving another sentence.

Drunea Trynel Heckstall, 25, of East Stroudsburg, pleaded to one count of criminal conspiracy, acquiring or obtaining a controlled substance by misrepresentation. She was arrested on July 2 for her part in an incident at the Rite Aid pharmacy in Lehighton. A co-conspirator called in a fraudulent prescription to the pharmacy. The pharmacy notified police, and when Heckstall came to pick up the prescription, she was arrested.

Serfass sentenced her to time-served, 52 days, to one day less 24 months in prison and ordered her to get a drug and alcohol evaluation, supply a DNA sample and render 100 hours of community service. The term runs consecutive to a driving under the influence term she is currently serving.

Joseph Nemeth, 21, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count of possession of a small amount of marijuana. He was arrested on Feb. 2 by Lehighton police following a traffic stop along Bridge Street.

Serfass imposed a fine of $300.

Derek D. Hoffman, 31, of Wilkes-Barre, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested on June 30, 2018, by Jim Thorpe police after he was found passed out along Germantown Road.

He was placed on probation for six months and ordered to render 25 hours of community service and get a drug and alcohol evaluation.

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