Carbon County court - DUI
Carbon County Judge Steven R. Serfass on Tuesday imposed sentences on six defendants who previously pleaded guilty to driving under the influence charges.
Two countsRobert Coleman Cesanek, 30, of Nesquehoning was sentenced to two counts of DUI in separate incidents.He was arrested on the first count on March 24 along Bridge Street at Route 209 in Weissport by state police at Lehighton. The second arrest occurred on March 27 at First and Iron streets in Lehighton, also by state police. In both cases a blood test showed the presence of a controlled substance. He also pleaded to a possession of drug paraphernalia charge in the second case.Serfass sentenced him to serve 72 hours to six months in the first case and 90 days to five years in the second case, with the terms running concurrently. He was ordered to pay fines totaling $2,500 and licenses suspensions totaling 30 months. He must also render a total of 175 hours of community service. On the possession count he was placed on probation for a year, concurrent with the DUI charges.He was given credit for 98 days spent in prison on the charges and paroled.Matthew D. Fisher, 27, of Palmerton was also sentenced on two counts of DUI in separate incidents.He was arrested on the first count on July 1, 2015, by state police at Lehighton along First Street in Lehighton. The second arrest occurred on July 5 by state police along Railroad Street in Weissport. In both cases tests showed the presence of a controlled substance.On the first count Serfass sentenced him to serve 72 hours to six months in prison and on the second count, 90 days to five years with the terms running concurrently. He was fined a total of $2,500 and license suspensions totaling 30 months. He was also ordered to render a total of 125 hours of community service.He will begin the jail term at 6 p.m. Dec. 30.Anthony Zachariah Mammana, 20, of Palmerton, was also sentenced on two counts of DUI and one of possession of drug paraphernalia.He was arrested on the first DUI on Jan. 28 along Route 248 by Palmerton police. The second arrest occurred on Feb. 7 along Delaware Avenue, also by Palmerton police. In both cases a blood test revealed the presence of a controlled substance. The drug count stems from Feb. 25, 2015, when he was stopped by state police at Lehighton along Harrity Road in Franklin Township.On the first count Serfass sentenced him to serve 72 hours to six months in jail and on the second 30 days in jail followed by 59 months in the county's Intermediate Punishment Program with the first 60 days on electronic monitoring. He was fined a total of $2,500 with total license suspensions of 30 months. He must also render a total of 150 hours of community service. On the drug count he was placed on probation for a year, concurrent with the DUI charges.He will begin the jail term at 6 p.m. Dec. 30 and serve it on consecutive weekends. The prison terms run concurrent.Other casesHerman T. McFarland Jr., 50, of Palmerton, was arrested on Sept. 4, 2015, along Route 248 in Franklin Township by state police at Lehighton. A test showed the presence of a controlled substance.He was sentenced to serve 90 days to five years in jail, a fine of $1,500, his license was suspended for a year and he must render 100 hours of community service.McFarland is currently an inmate in the county prison serving a six-month probation violation term followed by a year of probation. Serfass ruled the DUI term would run concurrent with the probation term.Edward Francis Ostrowski Jr., 30, of Delano, Schuylkill County, was arrested on Nov. 25, 2015, along Maury Road in Penn Forest Township by state police at Lehighton. A test revealed a 0.08 BAC. He pleaded to a count of driving with a suspended license - DUI related.He was sentenced to serve 30 to 60 days in prison but must serve the entire 60 days and pay a fine of $500.He was given credit for 25 days spent in an inpatient rehabilitation program and will serve the remaining 35 days on consecutive weekends beginning at 5 p.m. Dec. 30.Ronald Lee Tasker,47, of Souderton, Montgomery County, was arrested on March 13 along Route 903 in Penn Forest Township by state police at Lehighton. A test revealed a 0.13 BAC.He was placed on probation for six months and ordered to pay a fine of $300 and render 25 hours of community service.Paul W. Christman,45, of Effort, was arrested on Sept. 2, 2015, by state police at Lehighton along Route 209 in Nesquehoning. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.He was sentenced to serve 45 days in jail followed by 58 months and 15 days in the IPP with the first 45 days on electronic monitoring. He also must pay a fine of $1,500, his license was suspended for 18 months and he must render 100 hours of community service.He will serve the prison term on consecutive weekends beginning at 5 p.m. Dec. 30.Each defendant must also pay court costs of about $1,000, a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole or probation and follow all recommendations of their drug and alcohol evaluation.