Carbon County court

A Carbon County man admitted to resisting arrest and other counts on Monday afternoon in the county court.

He was one of nine defendants in pending criminal cases to enter a guilty plea before President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II.

Lansford incident

Scott Eugene Silverstein, 31, of Lansford, also pleaded to one count each of persistent disorderly conduct and a summary offense of public drunkenness in the resisting case and possession of drug paraphernalia in a second incident.

The resisting occurred on March 6, 2019, along East Ridge Street. Police responded to the area for a report of an out-of-control man. When police got on scene, the suspect was gone. He was later found walking along another street in the borough and identified as Silverstein. He kept walking when told to stop by police and struggled with officers. Police had to use a Taser to get him into custody.

He admitted being intoxicated at the time of the incident.

The drug incident occurred on Aug. 28, 2019, filed by Lansford police following a vehicle search.

Silverstein told the court, “That night I was totally out of character.” He said he lost his job because of the resisting incident.

Nanovic placed him on probation for a year on the resisting and conduct charges with the terms running concurrently. He was also ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment and zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use. On the drunkenness charge, he was fined $100.

Other pleas

Paul Hinkle, 51, of Summit Hill, pleaded to one count each of false reports and driving while under suspension. He was charged by Lansford police for an incident on July 1, 2019. Police responded to a crash along Patterson Street. On scene, they found a man and woman. The man, Hinkle, said the woman had been driving the vehicle involved, when in fact he was the driver.

On the false reports count, he was placed on probation for a year and ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use. On the suspension charge, he was fined $500.

James Vincent Morgan, 36, of Coopersburg, Lehigh County, pleaded to one count each of false identification to law enforcement and summary offense of disorderly conduct.

He was arrested on Dec. 16, 2019, by Lehighton police in the parking lot of St. Luke’s Lehighton Campus. Police responded to the area for report of a man trying to break into vehicles. Employees at the hospital identified Morgan and the person involved. When confronted by officers, he gave a false name.

He told the court he was a patient in the emergency room and receiving an IV when he took the IV out of his arm and left the hospital. He said he doesn’t remember any of the events and doesn’t know why he gave the false name or left the hospital. Nanovic noted that hospital records show that he gave the same false ID to hospital personnel when he was admitted.

Nanovic placed him on probation for a year and ordered he get a mental health evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment. On the summary offense, he was fined $100.

Raisa R. Brown, 50, of Palmerton, pleaded to one count of theft.

She was arrested on Oct. 26, 2018, by Mahoning Township police at the Walmart store.

Attorney Matthew J. Mottola, of the public defender’s office, told the court Brown is a citizen of Ukraine and has been living legally in the United State since 1993. He said she may face deportation because of the incident but that won’t be known for some time. Nanovic deferred sentencing and ordered the adult probation office to prepare a presentence investigation report.

Jason Gleason Sr., 41, of Weissport, pleaded to one count of persistent disorderly conduct.

He was arrested on Nov. 19, 2019, by state police at Lehighton at his residence after troopers were dispatched for a report of a dispute in progress. It was learned there was a warrant for Gleason’s arrest out of another county. He fled the officers but later was taken into custody.

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

Edward Priestas Jr., 55, of Jim Thorpe, pleaded to one count each of accident involving damage to attended vehicle/property (hit and run) and driving under suspension.

He was charged by Jim Thorpe police for an incident on Nov. 8, 2019, when his vehicle struck another vehicle along Center Avenue and he fled the scene.

Nanovic placed him on probation for a year and ordered he get a drug and alcohol evaluation and zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use. On the suspension count, he was fined $200.

Drug cases

Steven Edward Hayes, 27, of Jim Thorpe, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was arrested on Nov. 8, 2019, by Lansford police following a vehicle stop along Patterson Street.

Sentencing was deferred.

Jeremy Neil Tobin, 41, of Sevierville, Tennessee, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was arrested on Aug. 30, 2018, by Lansford police following a traffic stop along Patterson Street.

He was placed on probation for a year and ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use.

David A. Smith, 61, of Weissport, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. In exchange for the plea, the DA’s office dropped a charge of possession of a controlled substance.

He was arrested on July 21, 2019, by state police at Lehighton, after troopers served a search warrant on his residence along White Street. Found was heroin.

Smith was placed on probation for a year and ordered to pay a fine of $500 and get a drug and alcohol evaluation.

Harold Wilbur McFarland III, 34, of Sugarloaf, Luzerne County, pleaded to one count of possession of a controlled substance, heroin.

He was arrested on May 28, 2018, by Palmerton police along the 500 block of Delaware Avenue following a traffic stop.

Nanovic placed him on probation for a year and ordered he get a drug and alcohol evaluation, zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use and supply a DNA sample.

The term runs concurrent wit a DUI sentence he is currently serving.

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

ARD

Daniel Giniewski Jr., 21, of Lehighton, was placed in the county’s Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition probation program for six months on a charge of possession of a controlled substance. He was arrested on Sept. 10, 2017, by Palmerton police along the 300 block of Delaware Avenue following a traffic stop. Found was methamphetamine.

He was also ordered to pay $650 for the cost of the program, get a drug and alcohol evaluation, and zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use.

If he successfully completes to program, his record will be wiped clean. If he fails to complete it, or is revoked from it, then he would face trial on all pending charges. He doesn’t admit guilt in entering the program.