A Palmerton man was sentenced to a county prison term this week on drug charges.

David A. Messinger, 34, of Palmerton, was sentenced by Judge Joseph J. Matika to serve 11½ to 23 months in prison on a charge of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. He was placed on probation for a year on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. The terms run consecutively. He previously entered guilty pleas to the charges.

He was arrested on the first count on Sept. 3, 2019, by Lehighton police as part of an ongoing drug distribution investigation by the county drug task force and local police. Police received information that Messinger was traveling to the Allentown area to purchase illegal substances and come back to Carbon to sell them. He was arrested following a traffic stop.

The paraphernalia count stems from a Sept. 30, 2020, incident filed by Lansford police for an incident at the townhouse area off Route 209.

Messinger was also ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment, render 50 hours of community service when paroled and supply a DNA sample.

He was given credit for 374 days already served and paroled.

Receiving count

Corey Adam Fenstermaker, 30, of Lehighton, was placed on probation for a month on a charge of receiving stolen property. He previously pleaded to the charge. The count was downgraded from a felony 3 to a misdemeanor 2 in a plea deal with the district attorney’s office. He was charged by state police at Lehighton for the theft of Snap-on tools from a location in Parryville.

He was also ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation, supply a DNA sample, render 50 hours of community service, have no contact with the victim and make restitution of $400.

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