Carbon County court

A Carbon County man pleaded guilty on Monday in the county court to an assault charge and must pay medical bills of the victim.

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

Jim Thorpe incident

Scott A. Mouery, 38, of Summit Hill, pleaded to one count of simple assault for an incident on Jan. 3 in Jim Thorpe.

The police report indicated that Mouery went to a residence along Center Street to pick up his daughter when he got into an altercation with another man. He admitted assaulting the man.

Serfass placed him on probation for a year and ordered he make restitution for medical bills to the victim that were not paid by insurance totaling $2,054.59 and render 50 hours of community service.

Other pleas

Luis Ernesto Colon, 31, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count of tampering with evidence. He was arrested on Nov. 4, 2019, by Lansford police. Police responded to the Family Dollar Store for a reported retail theft. A description of those involved was provided to police. Police found Colon in the 600 block of East Kline Avenue and he fit the description of one of the people involved. A resisting arrest charge was dropped in a plea deal with the DA.

Colon is currently an inmate in the state correctional institution at Mahanoy, Schuylkill County, awaiting action on a parole violation.

Serfass sentenced him to serve three to 12 months in the county prison and ordered he get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment and render 50 hours of community service when paroled.

After he serves the state penalty, he will be brought to the county prison to serve the new sentence.

Racheal Lee Haskell, 24, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count of disorderly conduct, as a summary offense.

She was arrested on March 10, 2019, by Mahoning Township police along Beaver Run Drive after being involved in a crash. Her vehicle left the road and struck a tree. A driving under the influence charge was dropped in a plea bargain with the district attorney’s office.

Serfass imposed a fine of $300.

Elijah Holmes Santiago, 24, of Weissport, pleaded to one count of persistent disorderly conduct.

He was arrested by Franklin Township police on Jan. 11, 2018, for attempting to purchase a firearm at Buck’s Sporting Goods when he was prohibited from such a purchase. He answered one of the questions on the form incorrectly concerning his prior criminal record. A charge of materially false written statement - purchase, delivery, transfer of firearm, a felony, was dropped in a plea deal with the DA.

Serfass placed him on probation for six months, concurrent with a sentence for DUI he is now serving, and ordered he render 25 hours of community service.

John Hower, 30, of Lansford, pleaded to one count of retail theft for an incident on Dec. 11, 2019, at the Walmart store in Mahoning Township. Hower is currently an inmate in the county prison on five pending charges.

Sentencing was deferred.

Kristen Marie Peiri, 29, of Nesquehoning, pleaded to one count of unsworn falsification to authorities. She was arrested on Sept. 8, 2019, by Nesquehoning police. She reported to police that another person had assaulted her and her children at her residence. At the preliminary hearing on the matter she admitted that incident did not happen, and police then charged her.

Serfass placed her on probation for 18 months and ordered her to render 75 hours of community service.

Anthony Julio Riggio, 36, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count of retail theft. He was arrested on Sept. 8, 2019, by Mahoning Township police at the Walmart store.

He was sentenced to time-served (70 days) to one day less 24 months and ordered to supply a DNA sample and render 100 hours of community service.

Michael J. Beaver, 49, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count of retail theft. He was arrested on Oct. 13, 2019, by Mahoning Township police at the Walmart store.

He was placed on probation for a year and ordered to get a mental health evaluation, supply a DNA sample, make restitution of $31.07 to Walmart and render 50 hours of community service.

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

ARD placements

Two first-time offenders were placed in the county’s Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition probation program.

If they successfully complete all conditions of the program, their record will be wiped clean. However, if they fail to complete it, or are revoked from it, then they would face trial on all pending charges. A person does not admit guilt in entering the program.

Matthew Christopher Dale, 28, of Wilkes-Barre, was placed for a year on a charge of possession of a controlled substance. He was arrested on May 1, 2019, by Jim Thorpe police in the 200 block of School Street.

He was assessed $650 for the cost of the program and ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and render 50 hours of community service.

William John Steen, 20, of Albrightsville, was placed on a driving under the influence charge. He was arrested on July 13, 2019, along Route 534 in Penn Forest Township by state police at Fern Ridge.

He was placed for a year and assessed $650 and ordered to render 50 hours of community service and his license suspended for 90 days.

Both defendants must also pay court costs of about $1,000 and a $50 per month supervision fee while in the program.