Woman sentenced to state prison on drug charges

A Carbon County woman was sentenced to a state prison term on Friday in the county court on drug dealing and related charges.

President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II sentenced Nicole L. Oplinger, 38, of Lansford, to serve one to two years in a state correctional institution on a charge of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and one to two years in a state prison on a charge of theft - unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. The terms run consecutively. After her parole, she must serve two years of probation.

Oplinger previously pleaded to the charges when she was admitted into the county’s drug treatment court for defendants addicted to drugs. She was dismissed from the program for violating conditions.

She was arrested on the PWID count on Nov. 11, 2016, by Lansford police.

The theft - unauthorized use charge stems from a March 9, 2017, incident, also in Lansford.

She took a van owned by Evans Oil Company while the owner, Mark Krajcirik, was on a service call. After the victim called police about the theft, a few minutes later a Franklin Township resident called police to report that Oplinger, a woman with whom his son has a child, arrived at his house in an Evans Oil van.

A Franklin Township resident attempted to take the child before she kicked his car. Lansford police searched for the van and later found it on Bertsch Street unoccupied with its flashing lights on.

Police then located Oplinger, who reportedly failed to cooperate with their demands to sit in the back of a squad car. Oplinger reportedly yelled at officers and spit on the window of the patrol car. An officer attempted to move her head to put on her seat belt, and she reportedly bit his hand.

She had also pleaded to a charge of possession of a controlled substance for an incident on Oct. 21, 2016, also filed by Lansford police.

Oplinger told Nanovic, “I’m very regretful for what I did.” She admitted to a drug addiction problem and added, “I need long-term treatment.”

In addition to the state prison term of two to four years, she was ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment, supply a DNA sample, make total restitution of $151.58 and pay court costs of about $1,000.

She was given credit for 135 days already served on the charges.

DUI case

Victor M. Brideson, 61, of Northampton, was sentenced to serve six months to five years in prison on a DUI charge.

He was arrested on Nov. 8, 2018, along Catawissa Street by Nesquehoning police. He went to trial on the charge and was convicted of the charge by jury. Nanovic, who presided at the trial, found him guilty of three motor vehicle code violations.

He must also pay a fine of $1,500, license suspended for 18 months, get both drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations and follow any recommendations for treatment, pay court costs of about $1,000, pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole and supply a DNA sample. On the summary offenses he was fined a total of $75 and costs.

He will begin the jail term at 5 p.m. on Jan. 31. He was granted work-release privileges.

Retail theft

Shawn Filchner, 49, of Palmerton, was placed in the county’s Intermediate Punishment Program for two years on a charge of retail theft, to which he previously pleaded guilty. The first three months will be spent on electronic monitoring.

He was arrested on June 22, 2018, by Mahoning Township police at the Walmart store, where he attempted to steal $94.37 worth of merchandise.

He was also ordered to supply a DNA sample, pay court costs of about $1,000 and a $50 per month supervision fee while in the IPP.