Palmerton man given jail term on drug charges
A Palmerton man was given a jail term on Tuesday on drug charges. He was one of several defendants in pending cases to enter a guilty plea before Carbon County Judge David W. Addy.
Heroin possession
Joshua L. Kresge, 28, pleaded guilty in three pending cases. He pleaded to three counts of posession of a controlled substance-heroin for incidents that occurred on March 14, May 27 and Oct. 4, 2008, in Lower Towamensing and Franklin townships. In one case he was charged with the theft of copper tubing but that charge was dropped in exchange for the plea to the drug charges.
Addy sentence to serve 10 1/2 to 21 months in the county prison on one drug count, three to six months on the second, and one year probation on the third. The two jail terms run concurrent but the probation sentence is consecutive.
He was also ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment, zero tolerance on drug or alcohol use and supply a DNA sample and pay the $250 fee.
Kresge was given credit for 339 days spent in prison to date on the charges and paroled.
Other pleas
Other defendants who entered guilty pleas included:
Melinda Betancourt, 33, of Slatington, entered a plea to one count of tampering with records. She was arrested on Sept. 30, 2007, by Palmerton police for allegedly taking $7,255 in cash from the Rite Aid store where she was then employed as a assistant manager.
Addy deferred sentencing to Nov. 2.
Steven Michael Cardone, 23, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count of receiving stolen property. He was charged for an incident on Jan. 13 in which Timothy Robinson is the listed victim, and occurring in Palmerton.
Addy placed him on probation for a year and ordered he make restitution of $230.
Jeffrey Cope, 22, of Nesquehoning, pleaded to one count of false reports to police. He was charged for an incident on March 15 at the Palmerton Hotel.
Addy placed him on probation for six months and ordered he render 30 hours of community service. He was given credit for three days.
Robert Michael Dotter, 44, of Blakeslee, pleaded to one count each of drivng under the influence (DUI) and driving under suspension-DUI related. He was arrested on April 23 by state police at Fern Ridge along Interstate 80 in Kidder Township.
On the DUI count Addy sentenced him to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, a fine of $1,000, one year license suspension, and get a D&A evaluation.
The suspension count he was sentenced to serve 60 days in prison, a fine of $500 and another one year suspension. The jail terms run concurrently. He will begin the jail term on Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. and was granted work release privileges.
Marc Anthony Romanelli, 22, of Kelayres, pleaded to one count of DUI. He was arrested on May 18 by state police at Hazleton for an incident in Banks Township.
Addy placed him on probation for six months and imposed a fine of $300 and he must get a D&A evaluation. On a summary offense he was fined $25 and costs.
Valerie G. Wilcott, 30, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. She was arrested on May 22 by Beaver Meadows police.
She was placed on probation for six months.
All defendants must pay court costs and a $50 per month supervision fee.
