Sentences imposed for drunk driving, other crimes in Carbon court
Sentences were imposed in Carbon County court on Tuesday for driving under the influence (DUI) and other crimes.
All the defendants appeared before Senior Judge Richard W. Webb after having previously entered guilty pleas.Interlock violationLeslie K. Potak, 34, of Northampton, was sentenced to serve 90 days in jail for violating the state's interlock ignition system law.Potak was stopped by Jim Thrope police on School Street, on July 10, 2010, for erratic driving. Police smelled alcohol on her and arrested her for DUI. A check revealed that Potak had prior DUI convictions and was required to have an interlock ignition system in her vehicle, but did not.Prior to sentencing Atty. Dennis Charles asked Webb to impose house-arrest on Potak because of serious health problems his client is suffering from including diabetes. He said she is taking various medications for her problems and is facing additional surgery.Webb said he recognized her health problems but the court was concerned with the fact Potak had several prior DUI convictions which indicated to the court that she didn't take the health problems very serious. He added, "She already got a substantial break from the Commonwealth when they agreed to drop a drunk driving charge." He added if she was convicted of the DUI charge she would face a mandatory one to two years in jail.Webb ordered she serve 30 days in prison and the remaining 60 days in the Intermediate Punishment Program (IPP) with electronic monitoring. She will begin the jail term on April 1 at 9 a.m.Other sentencingsOther defendants sentenced by Webb included:Tiffany Lynn May, 43, of White Haven, was sentenced on two counts of DUI. She was arrested both times along the turnpike by state police at Pocono.The first arrest occurred on Dec. 4, 2009, in Kidder Township. Given a test, the result was .25BAC. The second time was March 2, 2010, in East Penn Township. Given a test, the result was .13BAC.May told Webb she had addressed a serious alcohol abuse problem by going into two inpatient rehabilitation programs totaling 90 days of treatment.Webb sentenced her to serve 30 days to six months on both counts running consecutively. She was fined a total of $1,500 and hand two years license suspension. She also was ordered to get a mental health evaluation, render three hours of community service per month while on parole and zero tolerance imposed on D&A use. She was given credit of 60 days for the inpatient programs and paroled.James Lawrence Dennis, 25, of Nesquehoning, was placed on probation for two years on two counts of receiving stolen property. He admitted having in his possession jewelry that was stolen from the home of Marlene Stern, of Franklin Township, on or about Aug. 25, 2010, and sold it at a pawn shop in Lehighton. He denied being the one who removed the jewelry from the victim's home.Webb also ordered him to make restitution of $502; zero tolerance imposed on D&A use, must enter an inpatient rehabilitation program, have no contact with any co-defendants or Stern, and get a fulltime job.Dennis has other problems with the law. He was arrested on Monday along with 10 others for allegedly smuggling drugs into the county prison using mail sent to inmates. Dennis is in the jail on those charges after failing to post bail.Jordan Christopher Adair, 21, of Jim Thorpe, was placed on probation for two years on a charge of receiving stolen property. He was charged for his part in the theft of $3,531.80 from the McDonald's Restaurant in Penn Forest Township on or about Feb. 22, 2008. He was employed at the restaurant at the time but was not charged with taking the money but for having some of it in his possession. Another employee was charged with the actual theft.Webb noted that Adair has already made restitution to the restaurant.Adair was ordered to supply a DNA sample and pay the $250 fee and get a mental health evaluation.Brandon P. Anthony, 21, of Lehighton, was placed on probation for a year on a charge of recklessly endangering another person. He was arrested on Jan. 23, 2009, for an incident at S. Second and South sts., Lehighton, with his former girlfriend, Heather Wagner, as the listed victim.He is currently in the county prison on a domestic contempt charge also involving Wagner.Jonathan Joel Puppo, 21, of Albrightsville, was sentenced to serve six to 18 months in jail on a charge of bringing contraband into the county prison on March 15, 2010. The contraband included marijuana and prescription drugs.He was ordered to supply a DNA sample and pay the $250 fee and was given credit for nine days spent in jail. He was also granted work release privileges if he complies with the prison rules.David R. Roth, 24, of Palmerton, was placed on probation for a year on a charge of theft. He admitted taking a gold ring and other items from the home of Barbara Eisenhower on May 10, 2010, in Lehighton.He was ordered to make restitution of $1,682.Brian Kralik, 57, of Palmerton, was sentenced to serve 30 days to six months in prison on a DUI charge. He was arrested on Aug. 12, 2010, by Palmerton police along Edgemont Ave. Given a test, the result was .19BAC.He was ordered to get a D&A evaluation.Kralik will serve two days in jail and the remaining 28 in the IPP with electronic monitoring. The jail term begins on March 25 at 4 p.m.Each defendant must also pay court costs and a $50 per month supervision fee while on probation or parole.