Numerous defendants given second chance for probation
The three Carbon County judges conducted parole/probation hearings based on petitions to revoke filed by the county adult probation office.
The petitions to revoke were filed against defendants currently on probation or parole for violating the conditions of their release. The results of the hearings follow:Justine Stevens, 28, of Beaver Meadows, had a petition to revoke his release filed by probation officer Joseph Bettine. He violated his probation by not making a concerted effort to make payments on his court costs.Judge Joseph J. Matika revoked his probation and ordered him remanded to the county prison to serve three to six months beginning at 9 a.m. on Dec. 2. However, if he pays is outstanding court costs of $843.07 by that date the jail term will be vacated.Amy Schlegel, 24, of Jim Thorpe, had a petition filed by Bettine to revoke him from the Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition (ARD) probation program for failure to pay court costs and did not complete 50 hours of community service.Matika revoked him from the program effective Dec. 2. However, if he completes the community service and pays all court costs by that time the case will be removed from the trial list.George Shipps, 52, of Beaver Meadows, had his probation revoked on petition filed by Bettine for failure to pay court costs.Matika resentenced him to serve three to six months in the county prison beginning Dec. 2 at 9 a.m. However, if he pays off his remaining court costs of $1,138.07 by that date the jail term will be vacated.Kodi Klinetop, 21, of White Haven, was revoked from the ARD program on petition of Bettine for not completing 50 hours of community service.Matika ordered he be revoked from the program and placed on the trial list. However, if he completes the community service time by Dec. 2 the order will be vacated.Shannon Kelly, 27, of Albrightsville, was revoked from the ARD program on petition of Bettine for failing to pay court costs, and did not complete 50 hours of community service.Matika ordered her placed on the trial list. However, if she completes the community service and pays her costs in full by Dec. 2, the order will be vacated.Ernesto Matos, 48, of Weatherly, was revoked from the ARD program on petition of Bettine for failing to pay court costs and not completing 25 hours of community service.Matika placed his case on the trial list. However, if he completes the community service and pays his court costs in full by Dec. 2 the order will be vacated.Thomas Nodzo, 46, of Albrightsville, was revoked from the ARD program on petition of Bettine for failing to pay court costs and not completing 50 hours of community service.Matika ordered his case placed on the trial list. However, if he completes the community service and pays all court costs in full by Dec. 2 the order will be vacated.Mark Yanoski, 45, of Lake Harmony, was revoked from the ARD program on petition filed by Bettine for failing to pay court costs, failed to get a comprehensive alcohol assessment and follow recommendations, and failing to complete 50 hours of community service.Judge Steven R. Serfass ordered the case placed on the trial list. However, if Yanoski completes the community service, obtain a alcohol assessment and follow the recommendations, and pay all court costs in full, by Jan. 2, 2014, the order will be vacated.Michael Smith, 47, of Albrightsville, had his parole revoked on petition filed by Bettine for failing to submit a urine screen as requested and that violated the zero tolerance provision.Matika revoked his 180 days of street time and remanded him to the county prison to serve the time. New conditions were also imposed upon his release on parole.Jesse Cannon, 41, of Effort, has his parole revoked on petition filed by Bettine for testing positive for marijuana, failing to submit to a urine screen which violated the zero tolerance provision.President Judge Roger N. Nanovic resentenced him to serve four months backtime in the county prison. He was granted work release privileges.Amanda Messinger, 23, of Lehighton, had her parole revoked on petition filed by Bettine for not making a concerted effort to pay court costs. She had parole revoked in a second case for the same violations.Serfass resentenced her to serve three months backtime in the county prison. However, if she pays $450 remaining costs along with her monthly payment by Jan. 2, 2014, the order will be vacated.Damian Eidem, 27, of Lehighton, had his parole revoked on petition filed by Bettine for failing to obtain a drug and alcohol evaluation and failing to obtain a mental health evaluation.Nanovic resentenced him to serve four months backtime in the county prison. However, if he obtains the evaluations and follow the recommendations by Jan. 2, 2014, the order is vacated.Jamie Schembri, 35, of Albrightsville, had his probation revoked on petition of Bettine for not completing three hours of community service per month.Serfass resentenced him to serve three to six months in jail beginning Jan. 2, 2014, at 9 a.m. However, if he completes the community service time by that date the order will be vacated.Michael Andrejco, 28, of Weatherly, had his parole revoked on petition filed by Bettine.Serfass remanded him to the county prison to serve out his maximum which runs to July 22, 2014.Anthony Maiello, 42, of Weatherly, was revoked from the ARD program on petition of Bettine for being arrested on April 18 by Weatherly police.Matika placed the case, driving under the influence (DUI), on the trial list.Robert Farber, 42, of Hazleton, had his parole revoked on petition filed by Bettine.Matika remanded Farber to the county prison to serve 10 days backtime.Francis Filoreto, 27, of Sugarloaf, had his parole revoked on petition filed by probation officer Joseph J. Berke for consuming alcohol.Matika recommitted him to the county prison to serve out his maximum term which runs to Nov. 4.Sherry Phillips, 37, of Lansford, had her probation revoked on petition filed by probation officer Clifford Eckhart, for testing positive for a controlled substance which violated the zero tolerance provision.Serfass resentenced her to serve 120 days to 12 months in prison with credit for 64 days.Joseph Tessitore, 21, of Lansford, had his parole revoked on petition of Eckhart for failing to report to the probation office on June 28, testing positive for a controlled substance which violated the zero tolerance provision.Matika resentenced him to serve 90 days in the county prison.Andrette Haupt, 23, of Lansford, had her probation revoked on petition of Eckhart for being charged with a new criminal offense.Serfass resentenced her to serve 87 days to six months in prison.Jordan Tessitore, 21, of Lansford, had his parole revoked on petition of Eckhart for failing to report to the probation office and testing positive for a controlled substance.Serfass resentenced him to serve 90 days in the county prison.Holly Filer (Pallone), 28, of Slatington, her probation revoked on petition filed by Eckhart for not reporting to the probation office as ordered, moved her residence without permission, charged with a new criminal offense, failed to submit to a drug screen, was in possession of a firearm, and engaged in behavior that was threatening to the health, safety and well-being of others.Nanovic remanded her to the state prison at Muncy to serve six to12 months consecutive to a sentence she is currently serving in the state prison.Coty Frank, 20, of Nesquehoning, had his parole revoked on petition filed by Eckhart for failing to report to the probation office as directed, absconded from his approved residence, tested positive for a controlled substance, and failed to submit to drug screens.Serfass recommitted him to the county prison to serve the balance of his maximum, which runs to Feb. 2, 2014.Tisha Staehle, 33, of Nesquehoning, was revoked from the ARD program for failure to pay court costs, failed to complete the alcohol highway safety program, and failing to perform 50 hours of community service.Her case was placed on the trial list for a DUI charge.Tiffany Binder, 32, of Lansford, had her probation revoked on petition of Eckhart for failing to submit to random drug screen which violated the zero tolerance provision.Matika resentenced her to serve 30 days to 15 months in prison.Cody Kmetz, 22, of Nesquehoning, had his parole revoked on petition of Eckhart for failing to perform 25 hours of community service.Matika resentenced him to serve 25 days backtime in the county prison.Susan Steinhauser, 32, of Saylorsburg, had his probation revoked on petition of Eckhart for violating the zero tolerance provision.She was resentenced to serve 25 days to six months in jail on a theft charge and 25 days to six months on a DUI count, with the terms running consecutive.