An Albrightsville man entered guilty pleas in five pending criminal cases on Monday in Carbon County court.

Ronald Ventura, 34, pleaded guilty to five counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, and one count each of driving under the influence of a controlled substance and escape, a felony 3, before Judge Joseph J. Matika.

In a plea deal with the district attorney’s office, felony counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and criminal conspiracy to PWID were dropped along with counts of possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor.

He was arrested on the DUI count on March 16, 2019, by Lehighton police in the 300 block of North First Street. The drug charges stem from incidents on June 4 and 5, 2019, in Lehighton, and Sept. 6 and Oct. 2, 2018, in Lansford.

Ventura is currently an inmate in the county prison on the charges.

Matika deferred sentencing and ordered the adult probation office to prepare a presentence investigation report.