Carbon County court – drug dealing
A Luzerne County man was sentenced to a Carbon County prison term on a drug-dealing charge on Friday.
He was one of five defendants who previously entered guilty pleas to drug counts to be sentenced on Friday by Judge Joseph J. Matika.
Weatherly incident
Elio Angel Osorio-Soto, 23, of Hazleton, was sentenced to serve three to 18 months on a charge of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, heroin.
Soto was arrested by Weatherly police on Sept. 9, 2018, following a traffic stop at Carbon and First streets. Soto was a rear-seat passenger in the vehicle where heroin was found.
He was also ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment, render 75 hours of community service when paroled and supply a DNA sample.
He was given credit for eight days spent in jail on the charge and began the jail term immediately.
I-80 stop
Corey L. Romer, 48, of Edison, New Jersey, was sentenced to serve 42 to 84 months in a state correctional institution on a charge of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.
He was arrested following a traffic stop along Interstate 80 in Kidder Township by state police at Fern Ridge on Aug. 23, 2017. Troopers found crack cocaine and marijuana in the vehicle.
Matika said Romer faced the long state term because of prior criminal convictions for drugs. Matika said the prior incidents occurred in the early 2000s, but that “those convictions have come back to bite you.” He said those convictions put his prior record score high, which led to a longer term.
Matika noted Romer got a break when the commonwealth agreed to a lower weight on the drugs found. He said Romer could have gotten a minimum term starting at 72 months.
In addition to the jail term Romer was ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation, render 100 hours of community service when paroled and supply a DNA sample.
He was given credit for two days spent in jail on the charge and began the term immediately.
Other cases
William Stichter, 28, of Reading, was sentenced to serve 12 to 24 months in a state correctional institution a charge of possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, and three months to 331 days on a charge possession of drug paraphernalia. He was given credit for 331 days spent in prison on that charge and paroled.
He was arrested by Lansford police on March 1, 2018, along West Bertsch Street in the area of Boyer’s Market.
He was also ordered to get both drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations and render 50 hours of community service when paroled.
He was given credit 331 days on the first count and will be transferred from the county prison to a state facility to complete the sentence.
Joshua Todd Barlip, 27, of Lansford, was placed on probation for a year on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. On a charge of driving under suspension, DUI related, he was sentenced to serve 30 to 60 days in prison (must serve the 60 days), and pay a fine of $500.
He was arrested on July 16, 2018, by Lansford police at Abbott and Springgarden streets.
Following the sentencing hearing Matika conducted a probation revocation hearing and found Barlip in violation. He resentenced him to serve six months “back time,” concurrent with the DUI charge. He must also render 25 hours of community service.
He was granted work-release privileges.
Joseph Lewis Moyer, 35, of Jim Thorpe, pleaded to one count of possession of a controlled substance. He was arrested by Lansford police on Sept. 20, 2017.
He was sentenced to serve six to 12 months in a state prison, concurrent with a state term he is now serving, which is one to three years.
Each defendant must also pay court costs of about $1,000 and a $50 per month supervision fee while on county parole.
