Summit Hill man sentenced in assault case

A Summit Hill man was given a time-served sentence on Friday in Carbon County court on charges false imprisonment, simple assault and criminal mischief.

Judge Steven R. Serfass sentenced Cody Lewis, 23, to time-served (39 days) to one day less 24 months on the assault count, followed by one year of probation on the false imprisonment charge. He was given another year probation on the mischief count, but it runs concurrent with the other charges.

Charges of rape by threat of forcible compulsion, terroristic threats, indecent assault and harassment were dropped in a plea bargain with the district attorney’s office.

A 23-year-old woman contacted Jim Thorpe police in July stating she was assaulted by Lewis inside the Union Publick House, 212 Center St., Jim Thorpe, and then at a residence in the borough.

According to the police report, Lewis had taken the woman’s cellphone and threw it to the ground, damaging it. He then confronted her by pressing her against a wall in the ladies’ room area of the pub and seeking sex and attempting to kiss her. The police report states he pulled her hair and pushed her against a wall. It was indicated that the two had a prior relationship.

Serfass noted that the plea agreement was approved by the victim, who told investigators she did not want Lewis punished by going to jail. Assistant District Attorney Brian Gazo told the court, “She made it very clear she did not want a jail term or a lifelong impact on him.”

Lewis apologized for what happened and said he was going through a period of heavy drinking at the time of the incident. He said he has since gotten employment and stopped drinking.

Serfass also ordered Lewis to get both a drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations, attend and successfully complete an anger-management counseling course, render 200 hours of community service, have no contact with the victim, pay court costs of about $1,000 and pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole and probation.