Monroe man gets prison term for terroristic threats

A Monroe County man was sentenced to a county prison term on Friday in Carbon County court on a charge of terroristic threats.

Jose Juan Torres, 38, of East Stroudsburg, was sentenced by Judge Joseph J. Matika to serve six to 12 months in prison.

Torres was arrested on Jan. 1 by state police at Lehighton who responded to a residence along Ben Salem Road in East Penn Township to a report of a disturbance. On scene the female resident of the home told troopers that Torres, who was described in the police report as the woman’s ex-boyfriend, had threatened to burn down her house. He was taken into custody without incident.

Torres admitted to prior criminal activity as a youth in New York but has not been in trouble with the law for many years. Matika said part of his prior criminal record was “ugly” and added because of that past he faces prison time. He told Torres, “your past follows you everywhere.”

In addition to the prison term Matika ordered Torres to attend and successfully complete an anger management course, get both drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations and follow any recommendations for treatment, render 50 hours of community service when paroled, pay court costs of about $1,000 and pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole.

He will begin the jail term at 9 p.m. on June 26 and was granted work-release privileges.