Schuylkill County court — guilty pleas
Schuylkill County Judge Charles M. Miller has accepted guilty pleas from seven people charged by local police.
James T. Faust, 30, of Tamaqua, was charged by Tamaqua police with simple assault, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, accident involving damage to attended vehicle or property, operating a vehicle without certificate of inspection, failure to drive at a safe speed, recklessly endangering another person, harassment, driving under suspension and failure to stop and give information or render aid on Jan. 9.
He pleaded guilty to the assault, unauthorized use, accident, inspection and speeding charges.
Miller sentenced Faust to four to 23 months in jail and ordered him to have no contact with the victim.
Michael Harley Jr., 28, of Tamaqua, was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia on Feb. 23, 2017.
He pleaded guilty to the controlled substance charge, and Miller sentenced him to six to 16 months in jail.
The remaining charges were dropped.
Christina L. Kieffer, 31, of Coaldale, was charged by borough police with delivery of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and loitering and prowling at nighttime.
She pleaded guilty to the delivery, possession, paraphernalia and loitering charges.
Miller sentenced her to three to six months in jail, followed by two to 12 months on probation.
Charges of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and criminal use of a communication facility were dropped.
James Neff, 34, of Summit Hill, was charged by Coaldale police with flight to avoid apprehension or trial, resisting arrest and possession of drug paraphernalia on Nov. 17, 2017.
He pleaded guilty to the flight charge, but Miller deferred sentencing until Neff has been evaluated for participation in the state intermediate punishment program.
A charge of resisting arrest was dropped.
Michelle M. Rex, 43, of Tamaqua, was charged by borough police with two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia on Nov. 15, 2017.
Miller placed her on 24 months of probation and ordered her to perform 10 hours of community service.
Douglas J. Schartel Jr., 36, of Tamaqua, was charged by borough police in three cases.
They were possession of drug paraphernalia on April 7, 2017; possession of drug paraphernalia, two of possession of a controlled substance, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and driving with a suspended license on June 8, 2016; and possession of drug paraphernalia on Jan. 30, 2017.
On the April 7 charges, Miller sentenced Schartel to three to eight months in jail; on the June 8 charges, six to 16 months, to be served concurrently; and on the Jan. 30 charge, three to eight months.
Two counts of driving under suspension-DUI-related, one each of adulteration or misbranding of a controlled substance, operating a vehicle without valid inspection and violation of sound level and an additional count of possession of a controlled substance were dropped in plea negotiations.
Schartel was also charged by Coaldale police in three cases.
On April 1, 2016, possession of a controlled substance; on March 19, 2016, false reports to police, possession of a controlled substance and adulteration or misbranding of a controlled substance; again on March 19, 2016, possession of drug paraphernalia, false identification to police, driving with a suspended license, and driving a vehicle that did not have a valid inspection sticker.
Miller sentenced him to three to eight months.
Two counts of driving under suspension-DUI-related, one each of adulteration or misbranding of a controlled substance, operating a vehicle without valid inspection and violation of sound level and an additional count of possession of a controlled substance were dropped in plea negotiations.
Phillip M. Ryan IV, 29, of Pottsville, was charged in three cases.
Tamaqua police charged him with aggravated assault, simple assault, resisting arrest, two counts of disorderly conduct, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana on June 11, 2017.
Miller sentenced him to 18 to 36 months in state prison on the aggravated assault charge, and six to 12 months on the resisting charge, to be served consecutively.
The other charges were dropped.
The Schuylkill County District Attorney’s Office charged Ryan with escape on May 2, 2017.
Miller sentenced him to three to six months in state prison.
Kline Township police charged Ryan with escape and retail theft on May 13, 2017.
Miller sentenced him to three to six months in state prison, to be served at the same time as the previous case.
