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One of four charged in freight company thefts is sentenced

One of four men charged in connection with thefts at a Mahoning Township freight company was sentenced to a county prison term on Monday in Carbon County court.

Ryan Keith Dillman, 28, of Palmerton, was sentenced by Judge Joseph J. Matika to serve nine to one day less 24 months in prison on a felony count of theft.Dillman was arrested for his part in an incident at the New England Motor Freight facility at 457 Mahoning Drive in March.Charged with Dillman were Nicholas Sickonic, 22, of Palmerton; Daniel Clifford Gruber, 42, of Lehighton; and Martin Konze, 45, of Palmerton. Sickonic and Gruber also pleaded guilty in the case and are awaiting sentencing. Konze is scheduled to enter a plea in the case on Jan. 17, 2017.Gruber was a dock supervisor for the freight firm at the time of the thefts.According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by township police Chief Audie Mertz:At 3:45 a.m. March 9, NEMF reported a burglary/theft involving a cut in the fencing surrounding the facility. Police found a trail cut through the woods leading across a stream to the rear of a business on Ashtown Drive. Along the trail, a large volume of merchandise was found.Police seized more than $6,000 in merchandise which included more than 30 automotive tires, tools, plumbing fixtures, furniture and clothing. Additional items seized by police included fishing waders. As part of the investigation, search warrants were served on a vehicle and a residence in Palmerton.Police also seized merchandise from a building on First Street in Lehighton, and another residence in Palmerton. These items included power tools, plumbing fixtures, tires, clothing, hand tools, Xbox One systems and liquor.At the time of the pleas involving Dillman, Gruber and Sickonic, Matika deferred sentencing because there was a question concerning the amount of restitution owed the freight company and the amount each defendant was responsible for. Matika conducted a restitution hearing at which time the district attorney's office and the defense councils for the defendants reached an agreement on the amount due. Originally the freight firm sought total restitution of $75,000 but that amount was significantly reduced in the stipulated agreement.Dillman was ordered to pay $520 in restitution as his share and also to pay court costs of about $1,000, pay a $50 per month supervision fee when released on parole and stay off the NEMF property.Dillman was given credit for 257 days already spent in prison on the charges. After he completes the remaining days of the sentence in the county prison he will be transferred to a state correctional institution to serve a state parole violation. Dillman said he must serve that term until Feb. 27, 2017.