Carbon County court
A Carbon County man admitted on Tuesday in the county court to assaulting his wife.
He was one of 10 defendants in pending criminal cases to enter a guilty plea before Judge Joseph J. Matika.Nesquehoning incidentChristopher Michael Lower, 37, of Nesquehoning, pleaded to one count of simple assault.On April 16 borough police responded tothe 300 block of West Mill Street for a domestic incident. They were met at the door by Lower's wife, who had visible signs of being assaulted, including bleeding from the mouth and other marks on her.Matika said under sentencing guidelines, Lower faces a minimum prison term of somewhere between six and 12 months.Sentencing was deferred so Lower can apply for placement in the county's Intermediate Punishment Program - house arrest.Prison for theftCarl John Lucas, 39, of Coaldale, pleaded to one count of retail theft and was immediately sentenced to a prison term.He was arrested on April 24 at Boyer's Market, West Bertsch Street, by Lansford police.Currently an inmate in the county prison, he also faces a probation violation proceeding in Lehigh County.Lucas, who read a prepared statement to the court, admitted to a longtime alcohol abuse problem. He said he stole mouthwash from the store which he planned to drink because of the alcohol content. He said he is seeking placement in the Salvation Army's inpatient program.Because of his prior convictions, Matika sentenced him to serve six to one day less 24 months in the county prison which runs concurrent with another sentence he is now serving.He was also ordered to supply a DNA sample, get a drug and alcohol evaluation, zero tolerance for drug and alcohol use, render 50 hours of community service when paroled and stay out of Boyer's.Other pleasNorbyn Manuel Valle, 19, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count of theft.He was arrested on May 21 when Mahoning Township police were called to the Walmart store for a report of an employee caught stealing. Valle admitted taking $150 from a cash register he was working at.Matika placed him on probation for a year and ordered he render 50 hours of community service, make restitution of the $150 and say out of the store.Robert C. Ahn III, 37, of Tamaqua, pleaded to one count of possession of an offensive weapon.He was arrested on May 10 by Lansford police following a traffic stop. He was a passenger in the vehicle and found to have brass knuckles.Sentencing was deferred.Joseph F. Gentile, 36, of Lansford, pleaded to one count of accidents involving damage to attended vehicle/property.He was arrested by Lansford police after he was involved in a crash at the intersection of Patterson and Sharpe streets then left the scene. He later returned and admitted leaving before the arrival of police.Matika placed him on probation for a year and ordered he render 50 hours of community service.Theresa Henrietta Dalton, 58, of Bronx, New York, pleaded to one count of violation of licenses-false identification.She was arrested following a traffic stop along Interstate 80 in Kidder Township on June 28 by state police at Fern Ridge. Dalton was a back seat passenger in the vehicle.She gave police a false ID. When confronted, troopers found eight factitious driver's licenses, all with her picture on them, and nine factitious credit cards with her name on them. She said she is currently on probation in New York.Matika placed her on probation for two years, consecutive to New York, and ordered her to render 100 hours of community service.Trevor Austin Evans, 25, of Lansford, pleaded to one count of possession of an instrument of crime.He was arrested on May 28 by Lansford police for an incident along West Kline Alley. Police responded to the area for a reported fight among at least five people. Evans was one of the five and was found to have a tire iron in his possession which he allegedly threatened to use in the fight with another person.Matika placed him on probation for a year and ordered him to render 50 hours of community service.Joseph Rossi Higgins, 36, of Philadelphia, pleaded to one count of firearms not to be carried without a license/concealment.He was arrested on Oct. 13, 2015, along Interstate 80 in East Side Borough following a traffic stop by state police at Fern Ridge. A search of the vehicle resulted in a pistol being found in a purse in the trunk of the vehicle.Matika placed him on probation for a year and ordered him to render 50 hours of community service.Brenda L. Hosler, 51, of Coaldale, pleaded to one count of retail theft.She was arrested on Feb. 11 by Mahoning Township police at the Walmart store.She was placed on probation for a year, concurrent with a probation term she is serving in Schuylkill County, and was ordered to make restitution of $62.85 to Walmart, render 50 hours of community service and stay out of the store.Terry Wayne Peters Jr., 23, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count of theft by receiving stolen property.He was arrested by Mahoning Township police for his part in removing a four-wheel all-terrain vehicle from a property along Lower Nis Hollow Drive. It was later found in nearby woods.He was placed on probation for a year and ordered to render 50 hours of community service and have no contact with the victim.Each defendant sentenced must also pay court costs of about $1,000 and a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole or probation.