Carbon County court
A Lehigh County woman was sentenced to a county prison term in Carbon County court on Friday on an assault charge.
She was one of five to be sentenced by Judge Joseph J. Matika.
Lansford incident
Dorian Lizzit Rodriguez, 20, of Allentown, was sentenced to serve two to 12 months in prison for an incident that occurred in Lansford on Nov. 11, 2016.
She and a co-defendant assaulted another female. The assault was the result of a dispute between the co-defendant and victim over a man.
In was noted the victim suffered serious injuries, but the investigation by police said the co-defendant, who was a juvenile at the time, was the person who inflicted them. The juvenile has already gone through the juvenile system.
Assistant District Attorney Brian Gazo, who prosecuted the case, said the victim agreed to the plea agreement in which an aggravated assault charge was dropped.
In addition to the prison term, Rodriguez was ordered to render 50 hours of community service while on parole, attend and successfully complete an anger-management course and have no contact with the victim.
She began the prison term immediately.
Time-served
Jacob Bloss, 23, of Weatherly, was sentenced to time-served (80 days) to 18 months in prison.
He was charged by Weatherly police with assaulting his then-girlfriend at a residence along Carbon Street on Sept. 28, 2018. Police responded to the area after receiving a call of an assault. The woman said Bloss assaulted her inside the residence then followed her outside and grabbed her and attempted to assault her again. Others at the scene restrained Bloss, police said. Bloss denied assaulting the woman but admitted they did have an argument.
Bloss was convicted of the assault count by a jury following a one-day trial before Matika. The jury, however, found him not guilty of the more serious charge of unlawful restraint. Matika found Bloss guilty of the summary offense of harassment.
Bloss was also ordered to render 50 hours of community service, get a mental health evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment, attend and successfully complete an anger-management course and have no contact with the victim. On the harassment count, Matika imposed a fine of $100 and costs.
Bloss will not be released from the prison despite the time-served sentence. He is also facing a probation violation petition filed by the adult probation office.
State IP
Jeffrey Duane Hosier Jr., 27, of Weissport, was placed in the state’s Intermediate Punishment Program for two years on two counts of DUI and one count each of retail theft and tampering with evidence. He previously pleaded to the charges.
Hosier is currently an inmate in the state correctional institution at Camp Hill, Cumberland County, where he was evaluated for the program and approved.
The program includes about seven months spent in prison, a period of time in an intensive inpatient drug and alcohol program followed by a period of time in a halfway house. If Hosier fails to complete the program, he will be brought back to Carbon County and resentenced by Matika.
Hosier was arrested on the first DUI on March 6, 2018, along Bridge Street in Weissport by state police at Lehighton. A test showed the presence of a controlled substance.
The second DUI occurred on May 5, 2018, in the parking lot of the Rite Aid pharmacy in Palmerton.
State police at Lehighton observed a vehicle being driven erratically and made a traffic stop. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.
He was arrested for the retail theft on Feb. 5, 2018, at the Dollar General Store in Palmerton. He took an item valued at $79.
The tampering charge stems from an incident on Feb. 7, 2018, Lehighton police picked up Hosier on an outstanding warrant. After being asked if he had anything on him they should know about, he said no. However, while in a holding cell at the borough police station, surveillance video showed him stashing two syringes down a floor drain.
Hosier must also make restitution of $184.80 and supply a DNA sample.
Drug charge
Robert Moyer, 63, of Lansford, was placed in the county’s Intermediate Punishment Program (house arrest) for one year on charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
He was arrested on May 4, 2018, when Lansford police were dispatched to the 300 block of West Bertsch Street for a report of drug activity. Officers entered Moyer’s home and found various drugs inside.
Matika granted the IPP request due to various health problems for the defendant.
He was also ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment and render 50 hours of community service.
Firearms count
Maurice Dion Collins, 41, of Amityville, New York, was sentenced to serve 18 to 36 months in a state correctional institution on a charge of firearms not to be carried without a license.
Collins was arrested on Sept. 8, 2018, following a traffic stop along Interstate 80 in Kidder Township by state police at Fern Ridge. Collins was found to be in possession of a handgun.
Matika noted because of a prior criminal record, Collins faced a long prison term.
Matika told Collins, “Your prior record stays with you, and now you must pay the price.”
In addition to the prison term, Collins was ordered to render 100 hours of community service when paroled and supply a DNA sample. He was given credit for four days already served.
He began the jail term immediately.
Each defendant must also pay court costs of about $1,000 and a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole or probation.
