Carbon County court - Drug cases

A Carbon County woman pleaded guilty on Tuesday in the county court to a drug count and is facing a prison term at the time of sentencing.

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

Summit Hill incident

Elizabeth A. Garrett, 56, of Summit Hill, pleaded to one count of criminal conspiracy-manufacture, delivery or possession of a controlled substance.

She was arrested on April 18 after agents of the state Attorney General’s office and Summit Hill police who served a search warrant on her home along East Ludlow Street. Various drugs including heroin were found in the home.

Matika told Garrett that she faces a prison term at the time of sentencing ranging between six and 16 months in the standard range up to 15 years, or nine to 18 months up to 15 years, depending on the weight of the amount of drugs found in her home.

Matika deferred sentencing and ordered the adult probation office to prepare a presentence investigation report. Also, the district attorney’s office will investigate and determine the weight of the drugs found at the time of the search.

Admits sale

Stephen Terry, 22, of Summit Hill, admitted his part in an illegal drug sale that occurred earlier this year.

Terry pleaded to one count of criminal use of a communication facility for an incident on Feb. 16 in Lansford. Borough police arranged a controlled drug buy along East Bertsch Street making the deal via cellphone. Marijuana was the drug sold.

Matika placed Terry on probation for a year and ordered he render 50 hours of community service, get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment and supply a DNA sample.

Other pleas

Stephon Khallid Perkins, 23, of Freeland, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia for an incident on Nov. 1, 2017. He was stopped by state police at Fern Ridge along Interstate 80 in Kidder Township.

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

Nathan D. Blose, 34, of Lansford, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested on June 9 by Lansford police in the 300 block of West Kline Avenue where police responded to a report of an unconscious male.

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

Jesse Daniel Jennings, 24, of Langhorne, Bucks County, pleaded to one count of possession of a controlled substance. He was arrested following a vehicle stop by Weatherly police along Plane Street. Heroin was found in the vehicle.

Matika placed him on probation for a year and ordered he get a drug and alcohol evaluation and render 50 hours of community service.

Samantha Jean Digilio, 26, of Grantville, Dauphin County, pleaded to one count of possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine. She was arrested following a traffic stop at Abbott and Sharpe streets by Lansford police.

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

Samir Rameen Diggins, 22, of Lansdale, Montgomery County, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested on March 27, 2015, by state police at Fern Ridge following a traffic stop along Interstate 80 in Kidder Township.

Matika placed him on probation for six months and ordered him to render 25 hours community service.

Jason Weaver, 37, of Altoona, pleaded to one count of possession of a controlled substance and false identification to law enforcement.

He was arrested on Nov. 20, 2017, by Lansford police at Patterson and Walnut streets.

Sentencing was deferred.

Hunter Garrett Devine, 19, of Effort, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested on Feb. 26, 2017, by Kidder Township police along Route 940 following a vehicle stop. Methamphetamine was found.

He also pleaded to four summary motor vehicle code violations for an incident on April 7, 2017, along Route 940 in Kidder Township filed by state police at Fern Ridge. He refused a blood test. A DUI charge was dropped in a plea bargain.

He was placed on probation for six months on the drug count and ordered to render 25 hours of community service. He was fined $100 and costs on the summary offenses.

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