A Middleport man was one of three defendants who were sentenced on criminal charges in Schuylkill County court recently by county judges.

James Thomas Maguire, 38, of 62 Washington St., Middleport, pleaded guilty to forging a check, theft by unlawful taking or disposing of moveable property, and theft by deception.He was sentenced by Judge John E. Domalakes to serve a probation period of 23 months, pay $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Accout (CJEA) fund, a and make restitution of $200 to the victim. Maguire was cited by Trooper Peter F. Mohn last December of forging a check belonging to Robert Steffie, of 1699 Summer Hill Road, Auburn.William E. Coward, 42, who had entered a guilty plea last Oct. 17 to a number of criminal charges, was sentenced on eight counts of a person not to possess a firearm was placed by Judge Domalakes in the Intermediate Punishment Program (IPP) to serve five years on probation with the first six months on house arrest with electronic monitoring and pay a $12 daily fee. He received credit for spending 20 days in the county prison. The sentence begins Monday, Dec. 10.He was charged by Butler Township Lt. Daniel with firing 10 rounds from a semiautomatic pistol. At his home police found eight guns and numerous boxes of ammunition. He also was ordered to pay $50 to the CJEA fund, and the gun which was discovered to be stolen is to be returned by the district attorney to Scott Rhoades, the owner upon verifiction of ownership, and the remaining weapons and ammunition to be forfeited.Stacy Marie Kassab, 34, Suedberg Road, Pine Grove Township, pleaded guilty last Sept. 26 to embezzling funds from a sports club and was sentenced by Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin to serve 11 and 1/2 to 23 months in the county prison. On a charge of theft by failure to make required disposition of funds to serve an additional 12 months probation.She also must make restitution of $211,526 to Pine Grove Fish and Game Protective Association where she served as treasurer. She was represented by Attorney Lloyd Haton, who was given court authority and directed, by virtue of the consents given by Mr. and Mrs. Kassab, to relese the funds in the amount of $30,056.22 that he is holding in escrow to Clerk of Courts Stephen Lukach for disbursement to the sports club. She was cited by Trooper John Sleboda last January.Each defendant must pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on probation or parole.