File for divorce

Melissa Hoffman, 19 Walnut St., Middleport, filed an action in divorce against Stephen W. Hoffman, 181 Tower Road, New Ringgold. They were married Oct. 12, 2002.Bail hearingsAfter a hearing Judge John E. Domalakes reduced the bail from $25,000 to $10,000 unsecured for Jephtha Jasan Mills, 25, of 418 W. Catawissa St., Nesquehoning, and set a number of conditions.The defendant must reside at his current address after an affidavit is signed by the lessee showing him to reside a this residence. In the event a move from this address should occur he must immediately inform District Attorney James P. Goodman. The defendant is not permitted to travel outside Carbon, Luzene or Schuylkill counties, shall not consume or possess alcohol or illegal substances, must refrain from illegal activity, must obtain employment within 30 days and keep his probaton officer aware of progress.Sydney Pope, 57, Frackville, had his bail reduced by Domalakis from $20,000 percentage cash to $500 percentage cash bail with certain conditions, he must reside at 215 N. Broad Mountain, Frackville, and in the event he moves must inform the district attorney office, shall not consume or possess alcohol or illegal substances, obtain employed and refrain from operating an automobile.Tiffany M. Jadus, Shenandoah, had the bench warrant issued against her dissolved by President Judge William E. Baldwin after a hearing and bail was set at $5,000 unsecured. She faces charges of theft of a purse.Greg John Smith, 23, Shenandoah, had his bench warrant dissolved by Baldwin and bail remains at $10,000 unsecured. He faces of criminal conspiracy to commit theft.Ramon Garcia Jr., 32, Pottsville, had his bail revoked by Baldwin and he was commited to the county prison pending an evaluation. He faces charges of possession of a controlled substance.Violate PFA ordersTwo men were ruled by Domalakes to have violated their Protection from Abuse (PFA) orders.Paul Dembinsky, 34, Saint Clair, was sentenced to pay the cost of prosecution, a fine of $300, placed on probation for three months and the PFA order remains in effect.Walter Parfaite, 21, Pottsville, was ordered to pay costs of prosecution, a fine of $300 and was given credit for serving 20 days in the county prison and released on parole and the PFA order remains in effect.Challenge petitionThe petition filed in the county election bureau by Gloria Bercher seeking nomination on the Republican ballot in the May 18th Primary Election as committee person for Deer Lake, 124th Legislative District, is being challenged by Joseph Sterns, of 203 Chestnut Ridge Drive, Deer Lake, who is asking court not to allow her name to appear on the ballot.His reason is that the nominating petition filed was alleged faulty. In his petition Sterns alleges the candidate signed the affidavit on the petition declaring she obtained the names of the signees before their names were affixed to the petition. Also she incorrectly listed the office she was seekig, stating she was running for committee chairperson. Stern states in the petition the chairman of the party is not elected by the voters but by the committee people under the by-laws of the party.Loses appealRoberto Gomez, 29, Shenandoah, lost his appeal in the Pennsylvania Superior Court from a sentence imposed by Judge D. Michael Stine.Gomez had been found guilty by a jury in December 2008 to charges of aggravated assault and was sentenced to serve 60 to 240 months in a state correctional facility. In his appeal he cited certain racial stigmas against Hispanics in Shenandoah, where the assault took place and also claimed he acted in self defense. He also cited his lack of a prior criminal history and that he was subject todeportation back to Honduras. He claimed the sentence was excessive.At the trial it was brought out the victim, Danny Malone, and a friend of his were engaged in a conversation when he and another friend emerged from a nearby convenience store. Testimony was Gomez began shouting at the victim, who claimed he did not know Gomez, and when he shouted back Gomez crossed the street and a fight ensued. At some point the victim knocked Gomez to the ground who got up and stabbed the victim in the left eye causing him to lose that eye. Gomez then fled but left the knife at the scene.