Lehighton man sentenced to prison term in drug-dealing case

A Carbon County man was sentenced to a prison term after pleading guilty in a drug case.

Erik Ryan Boehm, 40, of Lehighton, was sentenced to serve 11½ to 23½ months in the county prison on a charge of criminal use of a communication facility.

He was arrested on Aug. 9, 2016, near the Walmart store in Mahoning Township as part of an undercover operation by the county drug task force. He was involved in the sale of illegal drugs to a confidential informant.

Boehm has been in prison since his arrest and was given credit for 302 days already served. In exchange for the plea, a charge of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance was dropped. Some of his jail time was credited to a federal charge.

Judge Joseph J. Matika, who accepted the plea, also ordered Boehm to supply a DNA sample, get a drug and alcohol evaluation, pay court costs of about $1,000, pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole and render 100 hours of community service.

On a charge of prohibitive offensive weapon charge, which he previously pleaded to, including a DUI count, he was sentenced to serve nine to 23 months in prison and on the DUI count 90 days to 60 months in prison, a fine of $1,500 and 18 month license suspension. All the jail terms run concurrent to each other.

Boehm told Matika he is seeking placement in a inpatient rehabilitation program for a drug addiction problem.