On rare occasions, criminal court sessions don’t always go as planned or smoothly.

Thursday was such an occasion in Carbon County court where President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II was ready to handle a session of guilty pleas in criminal matters.

But things didn’t go as planned as eight cases were continued, three defendants failed to show and four pleas were heard.

The “no shows” had bench warrants issued for their arrest. The eight cases that were continued included five people appearing without legal representation. After learning their rights for legal representation, the defendants were granted continues to either hire an attorney or apply for representation by the county’s public defender’s office.

Nanovic did handle five scheduled cases involving four defendants as follows:

Willard John Yons III, 47, currently an inmate in the county prison, entered pleas in two pending cases to one count each of default in required appearance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was arrested on the drug count on Aug. 22, 2019, following a vehicle stop by Jim Thorpe police. That occurred just after Yons appeared in court on another legal matter. In that case a charge of possession of a controlled substance was dropped in a plea deal with the district attorney’s office.

The default count was filed by the county sheriff’s department after Yons failed to appear to begin serving a prison term of 12 to one day less 24 months imposed on Aug. 22, the day of the drug arrest. He was ordered to report to the county prison to begin serving that sentence on Sept. 5, 2019, but never showed.

On the default charge Nanovic sentenced him to serve six to 24 months in the county prison and on the drug charge one to 12 months in prison, with the terms running concurrent to each other and concurrent to the original jail term imposed in 2019 which he is now serving.

He was also ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation, zero tolerance imposed on drug or alcohol use and supply a DNA sample.

Tyler Joseph Kostak, 31, of Nesquehoning, pleaded to one count of unauthorized use of an automobile, a misdemeanor 2. In exchange for the plea two felony 3 counts of theft and receiving stolen property, were dropped.

He was arrested by state police at Lehighton on Jan. 19. The victim of the unauthorized use charge entered the Panther Valley School District elementary school and left the vehicle running. Kostak said he came by, saw the vehicle running, jumped in and took it for a ride. The vehicle was later recovered.

Nanovic placed him on probation for 18 months and ordered he get a drug and alcohol evaluation, zero tolerance on drug or alcohol use and supply a DNA sample.

Tiffany Anne Schumacher, 29, of Jim Thorpe, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. In a plea deal a charge of possession of a controlled substance was dropped.

She was arrested on Feb. 5, 2021, by Lansford police following a vehicle stop.

Nanovic placed her on probation for six months and ordered her to get a drug and alcohol evaluation.

Jocelyn Marie Cain, 27, of Lehighton, pleaded to two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia with two counts of possession of a controlled substance dropped in a plea deal.

She was arrested on July 5, 2021, by state police at Lehighton following a vehicle stop. She was a passenger in the vehicle and found with a syringe and baggies used to package drugs.

Sentencing was deferred as she requested the adult probation office prepare a presentence investigation report.

ARD

Gillian Verina Moore, 57, of Kunkletown, was placed in the county’s Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition probation program for a year on a charge of retail theft. She was arrested on Aug. 30, 2021, by Mahoning Township police at the Walmart store.

She was assessed $450 for the cost of the program and ordered to make restitution of $159.62 to Walmart.

Each defendant sentenced must also pay court costs of over $1,000 and a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole or probation.