Carbon woman enters guilty pleas in nine criminal cases

A Carbon County woman entered guilty pleas on Monday in the county court in nine pending criminal cases.

Erica A. Kates, 30, of Lehighton, pleaded to four counts of driving under the influence, two counts each of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia and one count each of possession of a controlled substance and forgery.

She was charged with DUI and possession with intent on May 6, 2017, by Mahoning Township police following a vehicle stop along Jamestown Street; she was arrested for the second possession with intent and DUI on Aug. 29, 2016, by Lehighton police along Bridge Street; she was arrested for the other DUIs on Dec. 3, 2015, along Route 443 in Lehighton by state police at Lehighton, and on Nov. 19, 2015, by state police along Bridge Street in Weissport. In all the DUI cases a test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.

The other drug arrests occurred on April 25, 2017, filed by Mahoning Township police for possession of paraphernalia when she was picked up on a warrant in the area of 365 Valley View Road; and the second paraphernalia on Jan. 6, 2017, by Lehighton police in the 100 block of Iron Street following a vehicle stop in which she was a passenger.

The forgery charge stems from a Feb. 2, 2015, incident filed by Lehighton police in which she attempted to alter a receipt involving a borough resident as the victim. She was previously placed in the county’s Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition probation program but was revoked due to being arrested on new criminal charges.

Serfass deferred sentencing and ordered the adult probation office to prepare a presentence investigation report. She must also obtain a drug and alcohol evaluation for the DUI charges. She is currently an inmate in the county prison on the various charges.