A Nesquehoning man admitted to a theft charge on Thursday in Carbon County court.

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

Credit card

Moises Flores Jr.,

27, also pleaded to one count of unsworn falsification to authorities with a charge of access device fraud dropped in a plea deal with the district attorney’s office.

He was arrested by Jim Thorpe police on Nov. 13, 2018, for using the credit card of a female to make transactions totaling $182.55.

Flores’ plea was done by video from the county prison where he is being held on a parole/probation violation charge.

On the theft count Serfass sentenced him to time-served (43 days) to 12 months in prison and ordered he supply a DNA sample, make restitution of $182.55 and render 50 hours of community service. On the second count he was placed on probation for a year, consecutive to the theft charge, and ordered to perform an additional 50 hours of community service.

Other pleas

Michael Christopher Devitt,

32, of Albrightsville, pleaded to two counts of terroristic threat, both misdemeanor 1s, with felony counts of burglary and criminal trespass dropped in a plea deal with the district attorney’s office.

Devitt was arrested by state police at Fern Ridge for an incident on June 11 at a residence along East Old Stage Road in Penn Forest Township. He went to the residence and demanded entry, eventually going inside and threatening two people who reside there.

He told the court he was “high” on methamphetamine at the time and thought he was at his own residence, which is nearby.

Since his arrest he said he has attend a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program and continues counseling.

On the two counts Serfass sentenced him to time-served (14 days) to 24 months in prison and ordered he supply a DNA sample, render 100 hours of community service, zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use and have no contact with the victims.

Jody Anne Rodrigues,

47, of Atlantic Beach, South Carolina, and formerly of Lehighton, pleaded to a summary offense of disorderly conduct, which was added to the original criminal complaint. In exchange for the plea two felony counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance was dropped by the DA’s office.

She was arrested on April 30, 2018, by Lehighton police as part of an ongoing investigation into drug trafficking in the county, police said.

Serfass imposed a fine of $300.

Serfass then conducted a hearing on a petition by the adult probation office to revoke Rodriques from the Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition probation program on five counts of identity theft. The basis of the revocation was her arrest in the drug case.

Serfass revoked her from the program and ordered her case to the November pretrial list.

John Robert Kelly,

35, of Reading, pleaded in two pending cases to one count each of resisting arrest and retail theft.

He was arrested on the resisting count on June 28, by Mahoning Township police at the Mahoning Drive-In on Seneca Road. He was at the drive-in in an intoxicated condition and refused to leave the premises. When police arrived and ordered him off the property, he resisted and police had to use substantial force to arrest him.

The retail theft occurred on June 27 at the Giant Market in the Carbon Plaza Mall in Mahoning Township. He entered the store through an emergency exit door after the market had closed for the day.

In exchange for the plea, the DA’s office dropped felony counts of burglary and criminal trespass.

On the resisting charge Serfass sentenced him to time-served (33 days) to one year in jail and ordered he get a drug and alcohol evaluation, supply a DNA sample and render 50 hours of community service.

On the retail theft charge he was placed on probation for a year, consecutive to the resisting count, ordered to make restitution of $19.49 and perform an additional 50 hours of community service.

Jesse Ian Barajas,

28, of Northampton, pleaded to one count of simple assault.

He was arrested on July 4, 2017, by state police at Fern Ridge after troopers responded to a residence along Stony Creek Road in Penn Forest Township. Barajas admitted assaulting his then girlfriend. He also admitted to an alcohol abuse problem.

Serfass sentenced him to time-served (14 days) to 23 months in jail and ordered him to get a drug and alcohol evaluation, supply a DNA sample, render 100 hours of community service and have no contact with the victim.

Cameron G. Dickson,

23, of Jim Thorpe, pleaded to one count of driving under the influence of a controlled substance. In exchange for the plea three counts of possession of a controlled substance were dropped by the DA’s office.

He was arrested on Dec. 14, 2017, by state police at Fern Ridge along Berryman Lane, in Penn Forest Township. Heroin was found. His plea was done by video from the county prison.

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

Tyler Joseph Mieczkowski,

25, of York, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. In exchange for the plea four counts of possession of a controlled substance was dropped by the DA’s office.

He was arrested on May 15, 2019, by Lehighton police in the area of South First and Alum streets. Police indicated they were in the area for reported drug activity. Methamphetamine was found.

Mieczkowski told the court he successfully completed an inpatient drug and alcohol rehabilitation program.

Serfass imposed a fine of $500.

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

ARD placement

Justin Karley,

30, of Bowmanstown, was placed in the Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition probation program for six months on a charge of theft. He was arrested on Oct. 16, 2019, by Lansford police for stealing Halloween decorations from a residence along East Patterson Street.

He was assessed $450 for the cost of the program and ordered to render 25 hours of community service, pay court costs of about $1,000 and pay a $50 per month supervision fee while in the program.

If he successfully completes the program his record will be wiped clean. He did not admit guilt in entering the program.