A Northampton County man admitted stealing a large sum of money from a Carbon County church where he was the treasurer. He was one of several defendants in pending criminal cases to enter a plea before Senior Judge Richard W. Webb.

Kevin A. Hantz, 46, of Walnutport, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count each of theft and receiving stolen property, both misdemeanor ones.Hantz was arrested by state police at Lehighton following an investigation into the report of funds being missing from the St. John's Lutheran Church, located along Fireline Road, in Towamensing Township.Church members noticed funds missing and reported the incident to state police. Hantz, who served as treasurer at the church, admitted to troopers to writing checks to himself.There was a dispute over the amount of funds taken. The initial report from state police indicated Hantz took $78,780.30. However, yesterday defense Atty. Brian Collins said that amount included late fees and interest and other charges that were not substantiated. He said the final figure agreed to by his client and prosecutors was $29,000.Collins said Hantz has already repaid $14,000 of that figure. Hantz said he used the money for personal reasons.Webb accepted the plea but deferred sentencing and ordered the adult probation office to prepare a presentence investigation (PSI) report.Other pleasOther defendants who entered guilty pleas included:Rebecca Elizabeth Hackney, 24, of Lehighton, pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child.She was arrested on Dec. 21, 2010, by Franklin Township police when officers were called to the Square One Market for a person in custody for retail theft. Hackney was stopped after being observed placing items in her purse. The value of the items wa s$74.While Hackney was in the store for about 45 minutes she left her four-year-old daughter unattended in the car outside while temperatures hovered around high 20s to low 30s, police said.In a plea bargain a count of retail theft was dropped.Hackney admitted to a drug addiction problem and is currently getting counseling for it.Webb placed her on probation for 18 months and ordered her to get both a drug and alcohol (D&A) and mental health evaluations, make restitution of $74 and zero tolerance imposed on D&A use.Jason Lyle Shoenberger, 32, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count each of possession of drug paraphernalia and driving under suspension-DUI related. He was arrested on May 2, 2010, along SR895 in East Penn Township.Shoenberger was on probation at the time and has a detainer filed against him by Northampton County officials.On the possession charge Webb sentenced him to serve 90 days to 12 months in jail. On the suspension count he was sentenced to serve 90 days in jail, a fine of $500, and a one year suspension. The jail terms run concurrently.He was given credit for 79 days spent in jail on the charges.Richard Hardy, 39, of Blakeslee, pleaded guilty to one count of theft. He was arrested by Jim Thorpe police for an incident involving the Jim Thorpe National Bank.In November 2006 Hardy made a deposit at the bank for $300 to his account. Another patron made a deposit around the same time. The second deposit, for $15,482.89, was mistakenly credited to Hardy's account.The bank notified him of the mistake and said he would have to return the money. Hardy, according to police, agreed to return the money but never did so and was eventually arrested.Hardy was placed in the county's Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition (ARD) probation program but was revoked from it for failure to complete all conditions imposed. All the money has been returned to the bank, it was noted.Webb placed him on probation for six months.Troy R. Andrews Jr., 21, of Lansford, pleaded in two pending cases. He pleaded to one count each of theft and receiving stolen property.He was arrested on Sept. 8, 2008, by Nesquehoning police for taking scrap metal from the Crystaline Bus & Rail Co. in the borough's industrial park. The receiving charge stems from a Nov. 20, 2008, incident in which state police charged him with having in his possession a stolen all terrain vehicle (ATV) belonging to Kyle Guedes of Lower Towamensing Township.Webb placed Andrews on probation for a year on each count, running concurrently. He was also ordered to make restitution of $2,810 to Crystaline and $6,112.08 to Guedes. He must also render five hours of community service per month while on probation.Amy Blocker, 25, of Palmerton, pleaded to one count of false identification to law enforcement. She was arrested on Oct. 31, 2010, by Mahoning Township police for an incident at the Walmart store. Police responded to the store for a retail theft incident involving Blocker. She gave a false name to the police when placed under arrest. In a plea agreement, a charge of real theft was dropped.Webb placed her on probation for a year. She is currently in jail on a probation violation and has served 71 days to date. She also admitted to a heroin addiction.Tara Jean Miller, 30, of Saylorsburg, pleaded to one count of defiant trespass. She was arrested by Mahoning Township police on Sept. 30, 2010, when found in the Walmart store when she was previously notified that she was not allowed to enter any Walmart store.Webb placed her on probation for a year and ordered her to perform three hours of community service per month while on probation.Webb also warned her not to enter any Walmart store anywhere in the U.S.Robert Moyer, 55, of Lansford, pleaded to one count of driving under the influence (DUI). He was arrested on June 25, 2010, along SR248 in Bowmanstown when stopped by state police for speeding. Given a test, the result was .25BAC.Webb deferred sentencing so Moyer could apply for placement in the county's Intermediate Punishment Program (IPP).Timothy Thomas Vanblargan, 25, of New Tripoli, pleaded to one count of altering the vehicle identification number (VIN) on a trailer he had attached to his vehicle when stopped by state police along SR209 in Towamensing Township on July 18, 2010.Webb placed him on probation for a year and ordered restitution of $85 to state police who had his vehicle towed and to supply a DNA sample and pay the $250 fee.Joshua Edward Berko, 22, of Lansford, pleaded to one count of false ID to law enforcement. He was arrested on May 18, 2009, along Bridge St., in Lehighton. He was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by police and gave a false name.Webb placed him on probation for four months and ordered to render 20 hours of community service.Tyler Hawk, 18, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count of receiving stolen property. He was arrested on June 25, 2010, by Franklin Township police for having taking a jug full of coins from the residence of Debra Pariman, where he was working for a construction firm.Hawk told Webb he repaid the victim $800 for the money in the jug.Webb placed him on probation for a year.Mark Duffy, 23, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count of theft. He was arrested by Franklin Township police for stealing $199.99 from the Shell Service station where he was then employed. The incident was reported on Dec. 14, 2010.Webb sentenced him to time served (49 days) to one year in jail and ordered he make restitution of $199.99 to the victim.Ronald C. Klotz, 50, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count of DUI. He was arrested on Sept. 25, 2010, along the Sgt. Stanley Hoffman Blvd., in Lehighton, during a sobriety checkpoint operation. Given a test, the result was .30BAC.Webb placed him on probation for six months and ordered he get a D&A evaluation and pay a fine of $300.Each defendant sentenced must also pay court costs and a $50 per month supervision fee while on probation or parole.