An elderly Carbon County woman admitted in the county court to forging a deed to property in violation of the wishes of the property owner.

She was one of five defendants in pending cases to enter a guilty plea before President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II.Franklin incidentDonna Lou Ahner, 71, of Lehighton, pleaded guilty to three criminal counts fraud insolvent by falsify writing/property records, unsworn falsification to authorities by forged/altered document, and secure execution of documents by deception.Ahner was charged by township police, but the case was prosecuted by the state Attorney General's office. She had power of attorney for her son, Jason Ahner, who was in prison at the time. He told her to transfer a home he owned to his father, who he said he owed money for his legal expenses.Instead of transferring the property to her ex-husband, Ahner falsified the deed and had it transferred to herself, according to the arrest report. The three charges she pleaded to were all misdemeanors, with the commonwealth dropping three felony counts in a plea agreement.Nanovic was told the deed has been properly transferred to the father as requested by the son.Nanovic placed her on probation for a total of two years.Other pleasOther defendants who entered pleas included:Shawn Filchner, 43, of Palmerton, pleaded to one count of bad checks.He was arrested by Palmerton police for an incident involving the National Penn Bank as the victim. Filchner deposited checks from a closed account with another bank into a new account of Mary McKittrick, also of Palmerton. Then checks were immediately written from the new account for the amounts deposited. The original checks deposited were returned due to a closed account. A total of seven checks were cashed.Nanovic accepted the plea but deferred sentencing due to a question concerning restitution due.Amy Lynn Ziegenfus, 32, of Walnutport, pleaded to one count of retail theft. She was arrested on July 6, 2013, by Palmerton police for an incident at the Family Dollar Store, 454 Delaware Ave., where she admitted taking $18.13 worth of merchandise.Ziegenfus is currently serving a prison term of nine to 23 months in Northampton County on unrelated charges.Nanovic placed her on probation for a year, consecutive to the Northampton term.Michael Steven Jopling, 44, of Easton, pleaded guilty to one count of theft by deception.He was arrested by state police at Lehighton for an incident involving the Jim Thorpe National Bank, branch office in Penn Forest Township, as the victim.Jopling deposited a check in a new account at the bank from an account at another bank, which was already closed. He then made withdrawals before the victim received notice of the closed account.Nanovic accepted the plea but deferred sentencing and ordered the adult probation office to prepare a presentence investigation report.Herman McFarland, 48, of Palmerton, pleaded to one count of driving under suspension. He was arrested on March 20, 2013, along Maury Road in Penn Forest Township by state police at Lehighton. It was his second offense for driving under suspension.Nanovic sentenced him to serve 30 days in jail and pay a fine of $500.He will serve the prison term on consecutive weekends beginning at 4 p.m. May 9.Each defendant sentenced must also pay court costs, which average about $1,000, and pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on probation for parole.