Carbon County court — DUI
A total of 22 defendants entered guilty pleas on Friday during Carbon County Court’s driving under the influence court.
Judge Joseph J. Matika accepted DUI and related pleas from the following:
Robert Edison Barnes, 30, of Kunkletown, was arrested on Aug. 11, 2018, by state police at Lehighton along Fireline Road in Lower Towamensing Township. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.
He was sentenced to serve five days to six months in jail, pay a fine of $300, 25 hours of community service and his license was suspended for a year. He began the jail term immediately.
Kristine M. Barrett, 37, of Lehighton, was arrested on Nov. 25, 2018, along Iron Street by Lehighton police. She refused a test.
Sentencing was deferred so she can obtain a drug and alcohol evaluation and also apply for the county’s Intermediate Punishment Program — house arrest.
John Joseph Chivalette, 55, of White Haven, was arrested on July 7, 2018, along Route 940 by Kidder Township police. A test revealed a 0.30 BAC.
He was sentenced to serve 48 hours to six months in jail, pay a fine of $500, 25 hours of community service and his license was suspended for a year. He was given credit for seven day spent in an inpatient program and paroled.
Jermaine David Clarke, 41, of Philadelphia, was arrested on July 1, 2016, along the turnpike in Penn Forest Township by state police at the Pocono barracks. A test revealed a 0.21 BAC.
Sentencing was deferred so Clarke can get a D&A evaluation.
Leo Thomas Fochtman Jr., 31, of Lehighton, was arrested on Oct. 2, 2017, by Mahoning Township police along Troxells Road. A test revealed a 0.08 BAC.
He was sentenced to serve five days to six months in jail, pay a fine of $300, 25 hours of community service and license suspended for a year.
He will begin the jail term at 9 a.m. on June 21 and serve it on consecutive weekends of two days, two days and one day.
Sharon Ann Gorski, 53, of McAdoo, was arrested on Feb. 12, 2018, by state police at Hazleton along Oak Street in Banks Township. A test revealed a 0.20 BAC.
Sentencing was deferred so she can obtain a D&A evaluation and apply for placement in the IPP.
Alex Gutierrez, 34, of New York City, New York, was arrested on June 6, 2015, by state police at Fern Ridge along Interstate 80 in East Side Borough. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.
He was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, pay a fine of $1,000, 25 hours of community service and license suspended for a year.
He began the jail term immediately.
Chad H. Hartsell, 37, of Lehighton, was arrested on April 26, 2018, along Mauch Chunk Road by Palmerton police. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.
He was sentenced to serve 90 days to 60 months in prison, pay a fine of $1,500, 100 hours of community service and license suspended for 18 months.
He is currently an inmate in the county prison. He was given credit for 10 days already served on the charge.
Roman Anthony Kevilly, 64, of Nesquehoning, was arrested on Oct. 28, 2018, along Stock Street by Nesquehoning police. A test revealed a 0.23 BAC.
A first offense, Kevilly was placed on probation for six months and ordered to pay a fine of $300 and render 25 hours of community service.
Matthew R. Lasky, 24, of Summit Hill, was arrested on April 1, 2017, by Lansford police along Kline Avenue. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance. He was previously placed in the Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition probation program but revoked for violating conditions.
Sentencing was deferred so he can obtain a D&A evaluation.
Zachary Laubach, 20, of Palmerton, was arrested on Dec. 31, 2018, by state police at Lehighton along East Lizard Creek Road in Bowmanstown. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.
Laubach is currently an inmate in the county prison on a probation violation charge.
On the DUI count Matika sentenced him to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, pay a fine of $1,000, 25 hours of community service and license suspended for a year.
On the probation violation he was sentenced to serve five to 12 months in prison, with the effective date of March 12. The prison terms run concurrently.
Troy Daramanee Lewis, 40, of Brooklyn, New York, was arrested on Nov. 14, 2018, by state police at Fern Ridge along Interstate 80 in Kidder Township. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.
Sentencing was deferred so Lewis can obtain a D&A evaluation and also apply for placement in the county’s Intermediate Punishment program — house arrest.
Chad M. Lutsko, 41, of Lehighton, was arrested on Jan. 31 by Lehighton police along Route 443. He refused a test.
Sentencing was deferred so he can obtain a D&A evaluation.
Kyle William McFarland, 27, of Wilkes-Barre, was arrested on Aug. 7, 2017, along Lafayette Avenue by Palmerton police. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.
He was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, pay a fine of $1,000, 25 hours of community service and his license was suspended for a year.
He was given credit for three days already spent in jail on the charge and paroled.
Marilyn Merz, 29, of Lake Harmony, was arrested on April 6, 2018, by Mahoning Township police along Route 443. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.
Sentencing was deferred so she can apply for placement in the IPP.
Matthew R. Miller, 32, of Nazareth, was arrested on Sept. 8, 2016, along Route 248 by Palmerton police. He refused a test.
He was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, pay a fine of $1,000, 50 total hours of community service and license suspended for a year. He was given credit for 10 days spent in jail on the charge and paroled.
He also pleaded to a charge of possession of a controlled substance. He was placed on probation for a year, concurrent with the DUI count. On a summary offense of driving under suspension, he was fined $200.
Michael John Minrod, 52, of New Ringgold, was arrested on Oct. 21, 2018, by Lansford police along Patterson Street. He refused a test.
A first offense, he was placed on probation for six months and ordered to pay a fine of $300 and render 25 hours of community service.
Kristin Ann Myrtle, 28, of Scranton, was arrested on Jan. 13 by state police at Fern Ridge along Route 903 in Penn Forest Township. A test revealed a 0.15 BAC.
She was sentenced to serve five days to six months in jail, pay a fine of $300, 25 hours of community service and license suspended for a year.
She was given credit for 30 days spent in an inpatient program and paroled.
Jerry Isaac Olivencia-Rodriguez, 27, of Lansford, was arrested on Sept. 6, 2017, by Lansford police along Patterson Street. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance and a 0.04 BAC. He was previously placed in the ARD program but revoked for violating conditions.
He was placed on probation for six months and ordered to pay a fine of $300 and render 25 hours of community service.
Karen Ann Osifchin, 50, of Kunkletown, was arrested on April 23, 2018, along Bowmans Road in East Penn Township by state police at Lehighton. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.
She was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, pay a fine of $1,000, 50 total hours of community service and license suspended for a year. On a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia, she was placed on probation for a year and ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation. The prison terms run concurrently.
She began her jail term at 9 a.m. June 3.
Michael Vincent Plitt Jr., 31, of Lansford, was arrested on Jan. 11, 2018, along Patterson Street by Lansford police. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.
He was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, pay a fine of $1,000, 25 hours of community service, zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use and license suspended for a year.
On a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia, he was placed on probation for a year, concurrent with the DUI charge, and ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment.
John Thomas Reppert, 30, of Palmerton, was arrested on Nov. 23, 2018, by Lehighton police along Route 443. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.
Sentencing was deferred so he can apply for placement in the IPP.
Joseph Troxell, 38, of Lehighton, was arrested on Dec. 8, 2018, along Beaver Run Road by Lehighton police. A test revealed a 0.12 BAC.
He was placed on probation for a year, pay a fine of $1,500, 100 hours community service and license suspended for 18 months. On a charge of endangering the welfare of a child, he was placed on probation for a year, concurrent, and get a D&A evaluation.
Travis Robert Workman, 31, of Palmerton, was arrested on April 2, 2018, along Fifth Street by Palmerton police. He refused a test.
He was sentenced to serve 30 days to six months in jail, pay a fine of $750, 25 hours of community service and his license was suspended for a year.
He will begin the jail term at 9 a.m. on June 8 and serve it on consecutive two-day weekends.
Each defendant sentenced must also pay court costs of about $1,000, pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole or probation and follow any recommendation of their D&A evaluation.
