A Kunkletown man admitted to damaging a phone at the Carbon County prison on Monday morning and was sentenced to a prison term.

He was one of three defendants in pending criminal cases to enter a guilty plea before Judge Steven R. Serfass.

Vandalism

Charles J. Zebley

, 58, pleaded to one count of institutional vandalism for an incident on June 26 at the prison in Nesquehoning.

Nesquehoning police were called to the prison for a report that an inmate took a phone and threw it to the ground, destroying it. Video surveillance at the prison showed Zebley committing the act.

Serfass sentenced him to serve one to one day less 24 months in the county prison, make restitution of $70 to the prison for the damaged phone and render 100 hours of community service when paroled.

He will begin serving the prison term at 9 a.m. on Nov. 11.

Other pleas

Patrick Stephen Pettie

, 29, of Easton, pleaded to one count of statement under penalty with a charge of materially false written statement — purchase, delivery, transfer of a firearm.

He was arrested by Mahoning Township police after he attempted to purchase a firearm at the Walmart store on Jan. 10. In filling out the application, he answered no to the question concerning any prior criminal record, when he had pleaded guilty in another criminal matter.

Serfass placed him on probation for a year and ordered he render 50 hours of community service.

Richard David Kennedy

, 34, of Tamaqua, pleaded to one count of theft for an incident on April 24 at the Walmart store in Mahoning Township.

A woman called police to report she had left her purse in a shopping cart in the parking lot area of the store and it was now missing. Video surveillance was viewed, which led to the arrest of Kennedy finding the purse and taking it. The purse contained cash and credit cards.

Kennedy is currently serving an eight- to 24-month state prison term imposed in Schuylkill County.

Serfass sentenced him to serve eight to 24 months in a state prison, concurrent with Schuylkill County, and ordered him to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and make restitution to the victim of $280.

Jessie Karim James

, 29, of Tobyhanna, pleaded to one count of driving under the influence and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was arrested by state police at Fern Ridge following a traffic stop along Interstate 80 in Kidder Township on March 20, 2017. He admitted to troopers to smoking marijuana before the stop. A vehicle search uncovered drug paraphernalia. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.

Sentencing was deferred so James can obtain a drug and alcohol evaluation.

Each defendant sentenced must also pay court costs of about $1,000 and a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole or probation.