A Tamaqua man was sentenced to a county prison term on Thursday after previously admitting he failed to register as a sex offender as required under the provisions of Megan’s Law.

He was one of six defendants who previously entered guilty pleas to criminal charges and were sentenced by Judge Steven R. Serfass.

Devin Todd Moerder,

22, was sentenced by Judge Steven R. Serfass to serve three to one day less 24 months in prison.

Penn Forest case

Moerder had pleaded guilty to indecent assault for an incident that occurred on Aug. 6, 2015, at a home in Penn Forest Township.

State police at Fern Ridge said a then 16-year-old female reported she had been raped while at a party at a home along Saw Mill Lane. Troopers said the girl was intoxicated at the time of the incident and did not remember much of the details of the incident. Moerder was identified as a person involved and was interviewed.

He admitted to the illegal sexual contact with the girl.

He was sentenced by President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II. Part of the conditions of the sentence was that Moerder was to follow the provisions of Megan’s Law relative to registering as a sex offender.

On Aug. 23, 2019, Nesquehoning police charged Moerder with failure to register with the state police and failure to verify address and be photographed by the state police, both felony 3s.

Borough police filed the charges after receiving information from state police of Moerder’s failure to register as required.

Moerder had applied for placement in the county’s restrictive probation program (formerly intermediate punishment - house arrest), but was not recommended by the adult probation department. Serfass accepted the recommendation of the probation office and denied the request.

Moerder’s attorney, Matthew D. Rossi, asked that his client be sentenced in the mitigated range of state sentencing guidelines and given a time-served sentence, but District Attorney Michael S. Greek said the facts of the case do not warrant a mitigated range sentence.

In addition to the prison term, Moerder was ordered to supply a DNA sample and when paroled render 100 hours of community service.

He was given credit for 40 days already served and will begin the prison term at 9 a.m. on Aug. 21.

Other cases

John Vanwhy,

21, of East Stroudsburg, was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, pay a fine of $1,000, license suspended for a year and render 25 hours of community service on a driving under the influence charge.

On a charge of possession of a prohibitive offensive weapon he was placed on probation for 18 months, consecutive to the DUI charge, and ordered to render an additional 75 hours of community service.

He pleaded to one count each of DUI of a controlled substance and possession of a prohibitive offensive weapon. He was arrested by Lehighton police following a traffic stop on Aug. 23, 2019, along Route 443. He was found with a set of brass knuckles.

He began the jail term immediately.

Paimai A. Benoit,

42, of Blakeslee, was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail on a DUI charge. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $1,000, license suspended for a year and render 25 hours of community service.

He was arrested on Jan. 28, 2017, along Route 534 in Kidder Township by state police at Fern Ridge.

A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.

He will begin the jail term at 11 a.m. on Aug. 10.

Jessie Karim James,

29, of Tobyhanna, was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, pay a fine of $1,000, one-year license suspension and render 25 hours of community service on a DUI charge.

He was placed on probation for a year on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia, consecutive to the DUI count.

He was arrested on March 20, 2017, by state police at Fern Ridge following a vehicle stop.

He was given credit for six days already served and paroled.

Steven Edward Hayes,

27, of Jim Thorpe, was placed on probation for a year on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia and ordered to render 50 hours of community service.

He was arrested on Nov. 8, 2019, by Lansford police following a vehicle stop along Patterson Street.

Joshua Michael Bertalan,

24, of Bowmanstown, was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, pay a fine of $1,000, license suspended for a year and render 25 hours of community service. On a charge of possession of a small amount of marijuana he was fined $300.

He was arrested on May 25, 2016, along Bridge Street by Lehighton police. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.

He was given credit for 12 days already served on the charge and paroled.

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