A Carbon County man pleaded guilty in two pending criminal cases on Friday in the county court to assault and strangulation.

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

The pleas were entered via video conference from the county prison, where all the defendants are inmates. Present in the courtroom with Serfass were court personnel including a stenographer, clerk of courts representative, tipstaff, a sheriff deputy, a probation officer, assistant district attorney and the defendant’s attorney in keeping with COVID-19 regulations.

Lehighton incidents

Jesse Shiner,

35, of Lehighton, pleaded to the simple assault count and strangulation charge for two incidents that occurred on Feb. 14 and Sept. 12, 2019, in Lehighton.

In the Feb. 14 case, Shiner moved in with a couple and later got into an altercation with the male. A charge of terroristic threats was dropped in a plea deal. The Sept. 12 incident occurred when Shiner assaulted his then girlfriend. In that case a simple assault charge was dropped.

Shiner said he had secured a bed at a Salvation Army drug treatment program but it was shut down due to COVID-19.

On the simple assault count, Serfass sentenced him to time-served (223 days) to one day less 24 months. On the strangulation charge he was placed on probation for 24 months, consecutive to the assault count. He was also ordered to supply a DNA sample, get both drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations and render a total of 200 hours of community service when paroled.

Multiple counts

Samuel F. Lakata,

25, of Weatherly, pleaded in two pending cases to one count each of flight to avoid apprehension, resisting arrest and theft.

He was arrested on the flight and resisting charges on July 22, 2019, by state police at Hazleton, who responded to a domestic incident. He fled when troopers arrived but was later found. It took substantial force to take him into custody. He was originally charged with 13 counts including three of aggravated assault. All the charges were dropped in a plea deal with the district attorney’s office except the two he pleaded to.

In the second case he was arrested on April 22, 2019, by state police at Hazleton for an incident in which he entered a home of a relative and removed jewelry. All but two items were recovered. A felony count of criminal trespass was dropped in a plea deal. It was noted the victims agreed with the plea bargains.

Lakata told Serfass, “I want to go to a recovery house. I want to show everyone who I am, not the one who did this.”

On the flight to avoid count, Serfass sentenced him to serve three to one day less 24 months in the county prison and one year probation on the resisting charge, consecutive to the flight count. On the theft charge he was sentenced to time-served (89 days) to one day less 24 months. He was also ordered to make restitution of $150, zero tolerance imposed for drug or alcohol use, complete an inpatient drug program and render a total of 200 hours of community service when paroled. He was given 90 days credit on the flight count.

Other pleas

Lucas Eric Mika,

21, of Jim Thorpe, pleaded to one count of escape. He was arrested by Summit Hill police. On Nov. 27, 2019, at 11:46 p.m. an officer assigned to work a DUI roving patrol observed a pickup traveling past his location along East White Bear Drive with the license plate light not illuminated. A traffic stop was made. While speaking with the driver, a passenger, identified Mika, appeared nervous.

As the officer spoke with the driver and other police units arrived on scene, Mika fled the vehicle into nearby woods despite being told to stop and being under arrest. Police deployed a stun gun, and Mika was taken into custody. Mika had an active warrant for his arrest issued out of Schuylkill County.

Serfass sentenced him to time-served (48 days) to 18 months in jail and ordered he get a drug and alcohol evaluation, supply a DNA sample and render 75 hours of community service.

Ronald Lee Strohl,

47, of Nesquehoning, pleaded to one count each of simple assault and criminal mischief. He was arrested on Aug. 24, 2019, by Nesquehoning police for an incident at the county prison.

According to an affidavit, prison staff called police after an inmate reported being assaulted by Strohl. The victim had already been transported to St. Luke’s Miners Campus, Coaldale, for injuries to his head, neck and upper back. Police met with prison staff, who showed surveillance footage from the incident. The video showed Strohl open his cell door and then strike the victim multiple times before leaving his cell even though he was currently on lockdown.

Serfass sentenced him to serve six to one day less 24 months in prison, supply a DNA sample, make restitution to the prison for medical bills paid for the victim of $869.17 and render a total of 150 hours of community service when paroled. He was given credit for 163 days already served.

He was noted Strohl has a detainer on him from the state of Florida.

Larry Braker Jr.,

48, of Walnutport, was sentenced to serve 72 hours to 60 months in jail, pay a fine of $1,500, license suspended for 18 months and render 100 hours of community service. He was given credit for 22 days already served. He is currently serving a six month prison term for a child support violation in Lehigh County.

On a charge of driving under suspension he was fined $500.

He was arrested for driving under the influence on April 11, 2018, by Palmerton police along Third Street. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance. He previously pleaded to the charges.

Brooke Lee Huntington,

42, of Lehighton, pleaded to a summary offense of driving with a suspended registration. She was stopped on May 1, 2015, by state police at Lehighton. A DUI charge was dropped in a plea deal with the DA. Serfass imposed a fine of $500. She is currently an inmate in the county prison on a parole violation.

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