An Albrightsville man was sentenced to a county prison term in Carbon County on Monday afternoon after previously pleading guilty to a fleeing police charge.

He was one of five defendants who previously pleaded guilty to be sentenced by Judge Steven R. Serfass.

Nesquehoning incident

Justin William Cannon, 28, was sentenced on a charge of fleeing police to serve six to one day less 24 months. He also pleaded to two counts of recklessly endangering another person and driving under the influence.

On the two reckless counts he was sentenced to the same term running concurrent with each other and the fleeing charge. On the DUI count he was sentenced to serve 48 hours to six months in jail, pay a fine of $500 and one-year license suspension.

He was arrested by Nesquehoning police on Nov. 8, 2019. On the date listed police were dispatched to the New Columbus section of the borough for a report of a vehicle being driven erratically and speeding. Officers observed the vehicle in question along Columbus Avenue and attempted to make a vehicle stop.

The driver fled and led officers on a high-speed chase that ended when he crashed his vehicle into a bank along West Catawissa Street. The driver was identified as Cannon. He was injured and taken to an area hospital for treatment and later charged.

He was also ordered to get both drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations and follow any recommendations for treatment and render 100 hours of community service when paroled.

He is currently an inmate in the county prison and was sentenced via video from the jail. He was given credit for 179 days already served.

Other cases

Thomas Baldini, 29, of Lansford, was sentenced to serve 48 hours to six months in jail, pay a fine of $500 and one-year license suspension on a DUI charge. He must also render 25 hours of community service.

He was arrested by Lansford police on Feb. 28, 2019, along Patterson Street. He refused a test.

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

Pablo Alberto Sosa, 29, of Bloomsburg, Columbia County, was sentenced to serve 10 days to two years in jail on a DUI count. He must also pay a fine of $500 and his license was suspended for a year.

He was arrested on Sept. 4, 2016, along Bridge Street in Lehighton by state police at Lehighton. He refused a test.

He is currently an inmate in the Columbia County prison serving a prison term which runs to Jan. 7. He will begin serving his Carbon sentence at 9 a.m. on Feb. 7 and serve it on consecutive two-day periods. He was given credit for three days already served.

His sentencing was done via video from the Columbia County prison.

Brenda D. Fritzinger, 49, of Lehighton, was placed in the county’s restrictive conditions probation program for six months with the first 10 days on electronic monitoring on a DUI count. She must also pay a fine of $1,000, license suspended for a year and render 25 hours of community service.

She was arrested on May 30, 2019, by Lehighton police along Route 443. She pleaded to DUI of a controlled substance. The police report indicated methamphetamine was found in her system.

Wayne Brian Groff, 31, of Scranton, was sentenced to serve five days to six months in jail, pay a fine of $500 and one-year license suspension on a DUI count. He must also render 25 hours of community service. On a charge of driving under suspension he was fined $200.

He was arrested on June 24, 2020, by state police at Fern Ridge along Route 940 in Kidder Township. A test revealed a 0.18 BAC.

He will begin the jail term at 9 a.m. on Feb. 5.

The delayed starts of prison terms are due to a COVID-19 flare-up at the county prison.

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