A Monroe County man admitted in Carbon County court on Tuesday to assaulting a guard at the county prison.

He was one of 12 defendants in pending criminal cases to enter a guilty plea before President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II.

Prison incidents

Stephen Michael Taber-Miller, 27, of Stroudsburg, pleaded to one count of simple assault for an incident on Jan. 1 at the prison in Nesquehoning.

Nesquehoning police were called to the prison for an assault by an inmate on a corrections officer. Police said Miller demanded that prison officials call 911 with no reason. When they refused, he attempted to go to a phone and call himself. A corrections officer attempted to stop him and Miller resisted. Another officer assisted in getting Miller under control, but one of the officers was injured in the struggle.

Miller told the court he does not remember assaulting the guard but does admit being involved in an altercation. His attorney, Matthew J. Mottola, of the public defender’s office, said his client was experiencing problems with a change in medication. He said Miller has mental health issues and when he arrived at the prison on other charges there was a change made in his medications.

Miller is currently serving a sentence which runs to Nov. 26 and has pending criminal matters in Monroe County.

Nanovic placed him on probation for a year, consecutive to his current sentence, and ordered him to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment and supply a DNA sample.

Joshua Lee Gundry, 31, of Weatherly, pleaded to one count of resisting arrest in exchange for two counts of simple assault being dropped in a plea deal.

He was arrested on June 18, 2019, by Nesquehoning police for assaulting an officer at the county prison.

He is currently serving a prison term imposed in Schuylkill County and has a pending matter in Luzerne County.

Nanovic sentenced him to serve two to 12 months in a state prison as he ran the term consecutive to the Schuylkill sentence, Because to two sentences total over two years, by law, it must be served in a state facility. He was given credit for 27 days already served on the charge.

Steals medications

Jill Grover, 42, of Weatherly, pleaded to one count of theft by deception for an incident on July 27 in Jim Thorpe.

Borough police said Grover took prescribed medications of a woman in the borough while in her residence.

Grover admitted to being addicted to pain medications. She said she got addicted to them after suffering injuries in an automobile crash. She was given painkillers which led to her seeking more medications.

“I’m extremely regretful for my actions,” Grover told the court.

Nanovic noted in June Grover pleaded guilty to another theft count. In that case state police at Hazleton charged her with stealing medications of a friend on or about July 21, 2019, at a residence in Packer Township.

Nanovic said he was confused, stating the defendant said she was involved in a crash in July and then started on the painkiller, but the Packer case occurred a year prior. He said, “I have a hard time understanding” what she told the court.

Nanovic also said Grover got a “big break” when the commonwealth was not asking the court to impose the mandatory terms of a state law in which a person 60 or older is the victim of a crime. The penalty is a minimum of one year in jail.

Nanovic sentenced her to serve one to 12 months in prison and ordered her to get both drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations, zero tolerance imposed on drug or alcohol use and supply a DNA sample.

Grover entered her plea via video conference from the county prison where she is being held on a probation violation.

Other pleas

Christopher Teodoro Velazquez, 32, of Jim Thorpe, pleaded to one count each of fleeing or attempting to elude police and false reports. In exchange for the plea, the DA’s office dropped seven summary motor vehicle code violations.

He was arrested on Aug. 11 by Lansford police who attempted to stop him for a traffic violation but he fled. Police learned from witnesses at the scene that Velazquez was the operator of the motorcycle that fled. Police said Velazquez then called the communications center to report an incident in another area of the borough, which was false. He was attempting to get police to leave the area where they had tried to stop him. That resulted in the false report count.

Nanovic placed him on probation for a year on each count, running concurrently, and ordered him pay a fine of $300.

Joseph P. Kennedy III, 38, of Lansford, pleaded to one count of persistent disorderly conduct for an incident on Dec. 25, 2019, in Lansford. A charge of simple assault was dropped in a plea deal.

He was arrested following an incident along East Bertsch Street. Police responded to the area for a report of a robbery. On scene they found Kennedy with a baseball bat causing a disturbance.

He was sentenced to serve 30 days to 12 months in prison, get a drug and alcohol evaluation and continue his counseling sessions.

He was given credit for 32 days already served and paroled.

Jason Michael Wermuth, 34, of Kunkletown, pleaded to one count of institutional vandalism.

He was arrested on Jan. 3 by Nesquehoning police at the county prison. While an inmate he caused damages to benches in the jail. He was serving a weekend sentence for a DUI at the time. He ended up serving the full six months of his maximum term.

Nanovic placed him on probation for a year and ordered he make restitution to the prison for damages totaling $224.99.

Annette Thamarus, 43, of Jim Thorpe, pleaded to one count of persistent disorderly conduct. She was arrested on Dec. 18, 2019, by Nesquehoning police in the area of the animal shelter near the county prison. Another conduct count and a defiant trespass charge were dropped in a plea deal.

She was placed on probation for a year, which runs concurrent to a probation term she is currently serving and imposed earlier this year, for an incident at her home. She was also ordered to get both drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations.

Richard J. Coombs, 57, of Lansford, pleaded to one count of obstruction the administration of law or other government functions.

He was arrested on Aug. 24 when Lansford police responded to a East Abbott Street residence for a report of a disturbance. As police were attempting to take Coombs’ wife into custody, he interfered with the officers by grabbing their arms and wrist, police said.

Nanovic ordered the adult probation office to prepare a presentence investigation report.

Louis Zielinski, 28, of Summit Hill, pleaded to one count of criminal mischief, as a summary offense. In exchange for the plea the DA office dropped counts of recklessly endangering another person and simple assault.

He was arrested on April 1, 2018, by Palmerton police.

He was fined $300.

Michelle Ann Velez, 47, of Catasauqua, pleaded to one count of disorderly conduct, as a summary offense. The charge was added to the original complaint with a count of possession of a controlled substance dropped in a plea deal.

She was arrested on Nov. 22, 2019, by Lansford police following a traffic stop.

Nanovic imposed a fine of $100.

Tabitha Renee Amey, 46, of Wind Gap, pleaded to one count each of disregarding traffic lane and seat belt violation. In exchange for the plea two counts of DUI and three motor vehicle code violations were dropped in a plea deal.

She was arrested on June 11, 2016, by state police at Lehighton. There were 13 continuances in the case.

Nanovic imposed a fines totaling of $35 and costs.

William Morales, 42, of Cumbola, Schuylkill County, pleaded to one count of driving under suspension. A charge of false reports was dropped in a plea deal.

He was arrested on July 29, 2019, by Nesquehoning police following a traffic stop along Market Street.

He was fined $500. His plea was made via video conference from the Berks County prison in Reading, where he is an inmate on other charges.

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