Schuylkill court news
Divorce granted
Christine M. Deatrich was granted a divorce from John A. Deatrich, both of Pottsville. They were married Nov. 22, 2003.
Sentence drug dealer
Stephen M. Gaughan, 23, Shenandoah, who entered a guilty plea last Feb. 25 to drug charges was sentenced by Judge D. Michael Stine on a charge of delivery of a controlled substance to serve seven days to two years less one day in the county prison and since he served his minimum sentence was released on parole. On a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia he was given a concurrent 12 months probation sentence.
Gaughan was ordered to pay a fine of $150 and court costs, pay $113 to the Bethlehem Crime Lab, $100 to Substance Abuse Education fund, $50 to Criminal Justice Enhancement Accout and a $50 monthly supervision fee. He was cited by the Schuylkill County Drug Task Force in March 2009.
Found guilty
Justin Lindenmuth, 27, Shenandoah, who was found guilty by a jury last March of indecent assault on person unconsciouis or unaware was sentenced by Judge Stine to serve 15 to 48 months in a state correctional institution with credit for serving 302 days in the county prison. On a charge of corruption of minors was sentenced to serve an additional three years on probation when released from prison. He also must pay $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account and costs of prosecution. He was cited by Shenandoah police in June 2009.
Pleads guilty
Gerardo Enrique Figueroa, 40. Mahanoy City, who pleaded guilty last February to criminal charges was senteced by Judge Stine.
On the charge of possession of an instrument of crime was sentenced to serve seven to 23 months in the county prison, pay a fine of $100 and court costs, pay $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account and $50 per month supervision fee. On a charge of criminal conspiracy he received a sentence of five to 23 months to run concurrent and on a loitering charge a sentence of one to 12 months also to run concurrent.
On a charge of failing to have a driver's license was fined $75 plus $50 costs, on a charge of driving the wrong way on a one way roadway was fined $25 plus $50 costs and on the charge of unauthorized use of a vehicle was sentenced to serve five to 23 months to run concurrent. He received credit for 199 days spent in prison. Figueroa was cited by Patrolman Joseph Parnell, Mahanoy City police, last Oct. 25.
Summary appeals
Jessica Gibbons, 35, Plains, lost her appeal from a speeding charge and Judge Stine imposed a fine of $42.50 plus $50 costs. She was found guilty traveling 70 miles-per-hour in a 65 zone. She was cited by Trooper Marke R. Demko last Oct. 25 on Interstate 81 in Delano Township.
Jody L. Gibson, 48, Minersville, tried to use technology in her appeal from a charge of going through a stop sign. She pulled out her cell phone and brought a picture of the intersection she was charged of failing to stop. Stine viewed the picture as she explained where she stopped. The judge believed Patrolman John H. Mohl's recount of the incident. The Pottsville officer said she failed to stop at the stop sign on E. Railroad St., went through and stopped in the middle of the intersecton. She was fined $25 plus $74.50 in costs.
In the appeal of Grace Credidio-Emery , 44, Minersville, Stine ruled in her favor and found her not guilty of a charge of driving while her license was suspended. She produced a witness who testified he drove the car. She saved herself a $500 fine.
