McAdoo woman sentenced to state prison term
A McAdoo woman was sentenced to a state prison term on Friday in Carbon County court after previously pleading guilty in three criminal cases.
Amanda Reed, 38, was sentenced by Judge Steven R. Serfass to serve a total of 18 to 60 months in a state correctional institution on a charge of possession of a controlled substance, contraband into a prison. In the same case she was sentenced to serve 14 to 60 months on charges of terroristic threats and simple assault. The terms run concurrently.
She also had pleaded to two counts of driving under the influence and was sentenced to a state prison. In one count she was sentenced to serve 90 days to 60 months in prison, a fine of $1,500 and an 18-month license suspension. In the same case on a charge of endangering the welfare of a child she was sentenced to serve 12 to 60 months in a state prison. On the second DUI she was sentenced to serve 12 to 60 months in a state prison, pay a fine of $2,500 and another 18-month license suspension. All the jail terms run concurrently.
The contraband and related charges stem from an incident on Sept. 29, 2016, along West Second Street filed by Lehighton police. Police responded to an unwanted person report and learned that Reed had entered a residence without permission and had made threats with a knife. She was found with illegal substances during the intake process. When taken to the prison, drugs were found on her.
She was arrested on the first DUI on March 4, 2018, by Lehighton police along Route 443. She refused a blood test. Other passengers, including a 1-year-old boy, were found in the vehicle. The second DUI occurred on Jan. 30, 2018, filed by Jim Thorpe police. She refused a test in that case.
Reed had applied for placement in the state’s Intermediate Punishment program after entering her pleas last fall. She was approved for the program, however, the state discontinued the program in December. A new drug treatment program was approved by the Legislature which is similar to the IP. It does not begin until Feb. 15. The main difference in the programs is that in the old program the district attorney and presiding judge would recommend a defendant be evaluated for the program and then after approval, be sentenced to it. If not approved, then they would be sentenced under sentencing guidelines. The new program changes the recommendation part of the old program. Now, after a defendant is sentenced they must take it upon themselves to request placement in the program and if approved, will be placed in it. If not, they would continue to serve their prison term previously imposed. The new program runs for two years.
Reed was also ordered to supply a DNA sample and pay court costs of about $1,000.
Reed is currently an inmate in the state prison at Camp Hill, Cumberland County, where she was evaluated for the IP program. She will remain there and continue serving her sentence.
