Carbon County court

A Luzerne County man pleaded guilty in Carbon County court on Tuesday to three counts of retail theft.

He was one of 11 defendants in pending criminal cases to enter a guilty plea before Judge Joseph J. Matika.

Mahoning incidents

Stephen Anthony Orlando, 27, of Drums, admitted stealing from the Walmart store in Mahoning Township on three separate occasions. The thefts occurred on Nov. 6 and 12, 2017, and Jan. 23, 2018. In the thefts various electronic items were taken.

Matika sentenced him to serve three to 23 months in the county prison on each count, with the terms running concurrently and concurrent to a six- to 23-month prison term Orlando is now serving in the Luzerne County prison.

He was also ordered to make total restitution of $2,368.59, supply a DNA sample and stay out of the Walmart store. Orlando is on work release in Luzerne, and Matika allowed him to serve his sentence on work release.

Other pleas

Ruben Ortiz, 30, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count of criminal conspiracy — retail theft. He was arrested on Aug. 30, 2018, by Mahoning Township police for an incident at the Walmart store.

He was placed on probation for a year and ordered go get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment, render 50 hours of community service, make restitution of $56.81 and stay out of the store.

Jason Henry Belay, 35, of White Haven, pleaded to one count of theft. He was charged by Kidder Township police for an incident at the Split Rock Golf Course, Lake Harmony, where a set of golf clubs were stolen. The clubs were recovered.

He was placed on probation for a year and ordered to render 50 hours of community service and have no contact with the victim. Restitution of $100 was paid at the preliminary hearing, it was noted.

Noah J. Sweitzer, 38, of White Haven, pleaded to one count of retail theft. He was arrested by Kidder Township police for stealing two bottles of beer at the Harmony Beverage store.

He was placed on probation for six months and ordered to render 25 hours of community service and stay out of the store.

April C. Morris, 36, of Bensalem, Bucks County, pleaded to one count of bad checks. She was charged by Lansford police for issuing a check for rent to a borough resident. The check was later returned for insufficient funds.

She was placed on probation for six months and ordered to make restitution of $650 and have no contact with the victim.

Edward John Flaim Jr., 26, of Barnesville, Schuylkill County, pleaded to one count of criminal mischief. He was charged by state police at Lehighton for his part in the theft of a motorcycle in Packer Township on Oct. 22, 2017. Flaim was not involved in the actual theft of the bike but took possession of it.

He was placed on probation for a year and ordered to make restitution of $228.39, which has already been paid, render 50 hours of community service and have no contact with the victim.

Anthony Samuel Fussell Jr., 20, of Burlington, New Jersey, pleaded to one count of firearm not to be carried without a license. He was arrested on Aug. 16, 2018, along Interstate 80 in East Side Borough by state police at Fern Ridge following a traffic stop. A .380-caliber handgun he was not licensed to have was found in the vehicle.

He was placed on probation for a year and ordered to render 50 hours of community service.

Curtis Lee Margle, 29, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count of driving under suspension, DUI related. He was arrested on Dec. 3, 2018, by state police at Lehighton along Pohopoco Drive in Lower Towamensing Township.

He was sentenced to serve 30 to 60 days in jail, but must serve the full 60 days and pay a fine of $500.

He is currently an inmate in the county prison serving four month to one day less 24-month term. He served 30 days and will serve the remaining 30 days on consecutive weekends beginning Oct. 4 at 7 p.m.

Kimberly Crawley, 47, of White Haven, pleaded to one count of defiant trespass. She was arrested by state police at Fern Ridge for entering onto the Springhill Mobile Park property in East Side Borough after being told previously she was not allowed on the property. She was found in an unoccupied trailer in the park on July 17.

She was placed on probation for a year and ordered to render 50 hours of community service, stay off of the trailer park property, get a drug and alcohol evaluation and verify her address within 30 days.

Travis James Husar, 33, of Palmerton, pleaded to two counts of persistent disorderly conduct. He was arrested on July 14, by Palmerton police at a residence along Mauch Chunk Road following a domestic incident.

He was placed on probation for a year on each count, running consecutively, and ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation, render a total of 100 hours of community service and attend and successfully complete an anger management course.

Vanessa Ann Bigg-Carr, 28, of Lansford, pleaded to one count of persistent disorderly conduct. She was arrested by Lansford police for an incident on March 2, 2018, at her residence involving her sister as the victim. She was previously placed in the Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition probation program but revoked from it for violating conditions.

She was placed on probation for six months and ordered to render 25 hours of community service.

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