A Carbon County man was sentenced to a prison term on Tuesday afternoon on an assault count stemming from a domestic incident.

President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II also sentenced a former county woman on a theft charge.

Palmerton incident

Wilbur Loui Fountain Jr.,

44, of Palmerton, was sentenced to serve six to 18 months in the county prison on a charge of simple assault. After the prison term he will serve six months probation.

He was arrested on Sept. 28, 2019, by Palmerton police, who responded to a residence along Edgemont Avenue for a domestic incident. Fountain admitted assaulting his live-in girlfriend.

On Tuesday, Fountain admitted to an alcohol abuse problem but has addressed it by going to four inpatient programs. He said the programs were for about 21 days or more each, but that was due to his insurance coverage only allowing the short-term programs.

He said he has continued counseling and attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings regularly.

The victim of the assault was present in the court and testified that Fountain has not caused any problems and resides with her.

In addition to the prison term, Nanovic ordered Fountain to get both drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations, zero tolerance imposed on drug or alcohol use, cannot possess any firearms since the charge stems from a domestic incident, and continue to attend AA meetings.

He was given credit for time spent in jail and the inpatient programs totaling 121 days. He will begin serving the remaining time on July 3 at 7 p.m. and serve it on consecutive weekends.

Mahoning incident

Raisa R. Brown,

50, formerly of Palmerton and now residing in New Jersey, was placed on probation for one year on a charge of theft.

She was arrested on Oct. 26, 2018, by Mahoning Township police at the Walmart store.

Attorney Matthew J. Mottola, of the public defender’s office, told the court Brown is a citizen of Ukraine and has been living legally in the United State since 1993.

Nanovic originally placed her on two years of probation but changed it to one year at the request of Mottola, who said two years could lead to her deportation because of the incident.

Nanovic, looking at her record, said it may not mean much because she has a pending felony theft count in Carbon and also has a pending felony theft charge in Schuylkill County. He also noted her prior record shows other theft and drug charges.

Brown, of Russian descent, admitted to being diagnosed as a kleptomaniac.

Nanovic said Brown got a “substantial break” in the plea deal with the district attorney’s office in the case.

She was also ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation, supply a DNA sample, zero tolerance imposed for drug or alcohol use, continue her counseling sessions and continue taking her medication.

After the proceeding she was taken into custody by sheriff’s deputies on a felony warrant issued to Rush Township police. However, she was later released when Carbon authorities learned there were no police working in Rush Township to take custody of her.

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