A former Carbon County woman was sentenced to a prison term on Thursday afternoon after previously pleading guilty to theft and other counts.

She was one of six defendants who previously entered guilty pleas in pending case to be sentenced by President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II.

Jim Thorpe incident

Brittani Aylse Gosnear,

20, of Philadelphia, and formerly of Jim Thorpe, was sentenced to serve two to 12 months in prison on a possession of drug paraphernalia charge and the same sentence for receiving stolen property count, with the terms running concurrently. On a charge of theft she was placed on probation for a year, consecutive to the other sentence.

She was charged on July 11, 2019, by Jim Thorpe police with the drug and receiving counts for an incident at a residence along School Street where she was accused of stealing various items from a relative. The second case occurred on Aug. 22, 2019, also filed by Jim Thorpe police, with the same victim in which drugs were taken.

In the first case charges of endangering the welfare of a child, simple assault and resisting arrest were dropped in a plea deal. In the second case four counts of theft were dropped.

Gosnear said she is currently receiving counseling for drug and mental health issues and is in a methadone program. She has also been diagnosed as bipolar.

Nanovic rejected a request for a time-served or probation sentence, noting Gosnear’s prior criminal record.

In addition to the prison term, Gosnear was ordered to get both drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations, supply a DNA sample, make restitution of $755 to the victim and imposed zero tolerance on drug or alcohol use.

She was given credit for 16 days already served and will begin the prison term at 5 p.m. on Aug. 28.

Other cases

Sherry Ann Phillips,

44, of Lansford, was sentenced to serve a total of 90 days to five years in prison on two counts each of driving under the influence and flight to avoid apprehension. She pleaded guilty to the second flight charge. Her sentencing proceeding was conducted via video conference from the county prison, where she is an inmate.

On the DUI charges she was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail on the first count and on the second 90 days to five years. On the flight to avoid apprehension she was sentenced to serve three to 12 months and on a parole violation, she was sentenced to serve six months “back time.” That was imposed after Nanovic revoked her parole. All the sentences run concurrently.

On the DUI charges total fines imposed were $2,500 and license suspension of 30 months. She was given credit for a total of 126 days spent in jail to date on the charges.

Christopher James Rhyder,

27, of Jim Thorpe, was sentenced to serve 90 days to five years in prison, pay a fine of $1,500 and license suspended for 18 months on a DUI count. On an endangering the welfare of a child charge he was sentenced to serve one to one day less 24 months in jail, concurrent with the DUI count.

He was also ordered to render 100 hours of community service, get outpatient counseling, supply a DNA sample and zero tolerance imposed on drug or alcohol use.

He was arrested on Nov. 1, 2019, by state police at Fern Ridge along Route 902 in Penn Forest Township. Troopers responded to a report of a vehicle stopped along the road with the driver behind the wheel unconscious. A 3-year-old was found in the back seat. Rhyder was taken for a blood test, which revealed he had fentanyl in his system.

He will begin the jail term at 6 p.m. on Aug. 7 and serve it on consecutive two-day weekends.

Brad E. Sutton,

41, of Tamaqua, was sentenced to serve one to five years in jail, pay a fine of $1,500 and license suspended for 18 months on a DUI count. On a charge of driving under suspension he was fined $200.

He was arrested on Sept. 13, 2019, by Franklin Township police following a vehicle stop.

He will begin the jail term at 10 a.m. on Aug. 18. He was granted work-release privileges.

David J. Acevedo,

31, of Pottsville, was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, pay a fine of $1,000 and a license suspension of a year on a DUI charge.

He arrested on Sept. 1, 2019, by Lansford police following a traffic stop.

He was given credit for two days already served and will begin serving the third day on Aug. 9 at 8 a.m.

Marc Anthony Elmore,

22, of Whitehall, was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, pay a fine of $1,000 and one-year license suspension on DUI charge.

He was arrested on Dec. 9, 2018, by Weatherly police following a traffic stop.

He was given credit for 21 days spent in an inpatient rehabilitation program and paroled.

Melissa S. Rahn,

31, of Parryville, was sentenced to serve one to six months in prison, pay a fine of $1,000 and license suspended for a year for DUI. On two summary offenses of driving under suspension and careless driving she was fined a total of $225.

She was arrested on Aug. 7, 2019, by state police at Lehighton following a traffic stop. A fleeing or attempting to elude police charge was dropped in a plea bargain with the district attorney’s office.

She will begin the jail term at 2 p.m. on Aug. 14 and serve it on consecutive two-day weekends.

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