Divorces granted

Lisa M. Grosser, Pottsville, was granted a divorce from Daniel A. Grosser, Ashland. They were married June 4, 1994.Gerald A. Bowser, Schuylkill Haven, was granted a divorce from Melissa A. Bowser, Vale, N.C. They were married May 1, 2005.Matthew V. McClure, Jacksonville, N.C., was granted a divorce from Sarah E. McClure, Ashland. They were married Aug. 20. 1996.Drug caseA Pittsburg woman pleaded guilty to attempting to bring illegal drugs into the State Correctional Institution located in Ryan Township was given a state prison sentence by Judge Jacquelyn Russell.Julia Elizabeth Keen, 28, had entered a guilty plea to the charges last September was sentenced on a charge of possession of a controlled substance to serve two to four years and on a charge of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance to serve and additional one year probation when released from custody.She received a concurrent six to 12 months prison sentence on a charge of conspiring to commit bringing in drugs to the prison. She also must make restitution of $113 to the Bethlehem Regional Lab and pay costs of prosecution. Keen was cited by Trooper Joseph Aponick. The police report states she planned to bring in marijuana to an inmate in the prison who would sell the drug to other inmates.Appeal deniedPatrick Daniel Shala, 40, Raven Run, Lost Creek, who pleaded guilty to driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol in August 2009 was sentenced by President Judge William E. .Baldwin to serve 30 to 60 months in a state correctional facilty, appealed the sentence and after receiving a hearing the appeal was denied by Baldwin who advised Shala he can appeal the court's ruling to the state Superior Court but it must be in 30 days.In his appeal Shala claimed he understood he was to receive a sentence of one to five years which would have made him eligible for parole sooner and was asking the court to change the sentence. It was denied with the court commenting, "The claim that he did not know that he would receive the sentence imposed is just not credible. He may now have second thoughts but there is no merit to his claim that his plea was not knowingly and voluntarily entered."