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Ten defendants enter guilty pleas

Ten defendants in pending criminal cases entered guilty pleas before Judge Joseph J. Matika on Thursday.

Crystal Joy Milner, 29, of Lansford, pleaded to one count of criminal conspiracy-retail theft.She was arrested on Oct. 8, 2014, by Lansford police for an incident at Boyer's Market. She and a co-defendant, Jacob Bynon, were charged with taking $159.17 worth of infant formula.Milner is currently serving a one- to two-year state prison term at Muncy imposed in Schuylkill County for a parole violation on drug charges.Matika placed her on probation for a year and ordered her to make restitution of $79.59, her share. The term runs concurrent with the Schuylkill sentence.Colleen D. Wentz, 35, of Towamensing Township, formerly of Lansford, pleaded to one count of hindering apprehension.She was arrested by Lansford police for an incident in February 2014. She was told by police they had a warrant for Hector Huchinson and she should report to them if she has contact with him. Later he was found driving her vehicle.Police then confronted her and she admitted knowing he was wanted but did not call police.She was placed on probation for a year.Frank Lawrence Mraz Jr., 47, of Tresckow, pleaded to one count of receiving stolen property.He was arrested by Beaver Meadows police with taking items from a Broad Street property over a period of time. Mraz was renting an apartment from the victim at the time but was later evicted. Scrap metals were taken.Matika placed him on probation for 18 months and ordered he make restitution to the victim of $2,181, have no contact with the victim, render 75 hours of community service, and supply a DNA sample.Amy Burns, 34, of Lansford, pleaded to one count of simple assault.She was charged by Lansford police with assaulting a woman. She admitted striking the victim and pushing her to the ground.She was placed on probation for a year and ordered to render 50 hours of community service and have no contact with the victim.It was noted Burns has other charges pending, including some in Schuylkill County.Amanda Danielle Parisi, 28, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count each of retail theft and corruption of a minor.She was arrested by Mahoning Township police for an incident on July 16, 2014, at the Walmart store. She was charged with taking items valued at $69.51. At the time she had a 11-year-old female assist her, which led to the corruption charge.On the corruption count she was placed on probation for a year and must stay out of Walmart. On the retail theft count she was fined $100. All the stolen items were recovered.The term runs concurrent with a sentence she is serving for driving under the influence.Jacob A. Bloss, 19, of Beaver Meadows, pleaded to one count of defiant trespass.He was arrested by borough police for being on the property of the Sunoco station at 120 E. Broad St., on May 16, 2014, after previously being told to stay off the property.Matika placed him on probation for six months and ordered he render 25 hours of community service, and continue his ban from the Sunoco property.Brian Keith Kukowski, 36, of Shenandoah, and formerly of Coaldale, pleaded to one count each of recklessly endangering another person and resisting arrest.He was charged by Lansford police for an incident on April 18, 2013, in the area of 22-24 E. Ridge St. Police responded to the area for a suspicious person. Kukowski was the person and climbed onto a roof of a former business building and refused to come down, threatening to jump off the roof.While on the roof, Kukowski drank "beer after beer." Police then called a special unit of the Salisbury Township police to assist. That unit arrived and instituted a plan to bring him down. Kukowski was struck by "less than lethal" projectiles. He was then brought down from the roof.Kukowski is currently on state probation until 2018.Matika placed him on probation for a year on each count, concurrent with the state term, and ordered him to get a mental health evaluation, zero tolerance for drug and alcohol use, render 50 hours of community service, and make restitution of $372.43 to the Salisbury police.Anthony Mike Jacobacci, 56, of Jim Thorpe, pleaded to one count of disorderly conduct as a summary offense. A charge of retail theft was dropped in a plea agreement.He was arrested by Mahoning Township police for an incident at the Walmart store.Matika imposed a fine of $150. He was scheduled for trial on the charges on Monday.Michelle Hartman, 44, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count each of harassment, disorderly conduct, and public drunkenness, all summary offenses. A simple assault charge was dropped.She was arrested by Franklin Township police for an incident on Dec. 13, 2014, along Main Road when police responded to a domestic dispute.Matika imposed fines totaling $300. She was scheduled to go on trial Monday on the charges.Tiffany Hawk, 25, of Weissport, pleaded to one count of harassment, as a summary offense. Two counts of simple assault and one of public drunkenness were dropped in a plea agreement.She was arrested at her residence along Bridge Street on June 15, 2013, by state police at Lehighton, following a dispute with a neighbor.Matika deferred sentencing because there is a dispute over restitution being asked by the victim. A hearing will be held to determine the restitution.All defendants sentenced must also pay court costs of about $1,000, and pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on probation or parole.