A total of seven defendants in pending criminal cases entered guilty pleas in Carbon County court on Tuesday during a daylong court proceeding.

President Judge Roger N. Nanovic accepted pleas from the following:

Lottery scam

Louis Zielinski, 29, of Summit Hill, pleaded to one count of theft by deception. In exchange for the plea, five other counts were dropped, including access device fraud and criminal conspiracy.

He was charged by Palmerton police for incidents in January 2018. Police said Zielinsky would play the state lottery “skills” game, and when getting a winning voucher, change the prize amount. Police said Zielinsky made false claims at the Carbon Mini Mart in Palmerton and two other locations in the county.

Zielinski said he was addicted to drugs at the time but has since addressed his issues and is drug free.

Nanovic placed him on probation for two years and ordered him to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment, supply a DNA sample and make total restitution of $465.04.

Other pleas

Jesse Tyler Flamisch, 25, of Lansford, pleaded to one count each of simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.

He was arrested on June 30, 2020, by Palmerton police along Route 248. He was in a vehicle with his girlfriend when an altercation occurred in which he stabbed her on the leg and struck her on the head.

The commonwealth declined to invoke the weapon enhancement provision of the law, saving Flamisch additional possible jail time.

Nanovic deferred sentencing and ordered the adult probation office to prepare a presentence investigation report. He will also apply for house arrest consideration.

Rene Figueroa, 19, of Lansford, pleaded to one count of theft.

He was arrested on Feb. 10, 2020, along West Abbott Street by Lansford police. Figueroa went to the area to purchase marijuana. When the other person arrived he grabbed the marijuana from the person and ran. In exchange for the plea a felony robbery count was dropped in a plea deal.

Nanovic placed him on probation for a year and ordered he get a drug and alcohol evaluation, zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use, supply a DNA sample and is required to testify for the commonwealth in any companion case.

Melissa Ann Peters, 31, of Stroudsburg, pleaded guilty to retail theft for an incident on July 12, 2020, at the Walmart store in Mahoning Township. A second case, filed for an incident on July 25, 2020, also at Walmart, was dropped in a plea deal in which she must make restitution in that case.

Nanovic placed her on probation for a year and ordered restitution of $97.87, get a drug and alcohol evaluation, zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use and supply a DNA sample.

Katie Marie Shainline, 31, of Boyertown, Berks County, pleaded to one count of harassment, a summary offense.

She was arrested on Aug. 5, 2019, by Lansford police for an incident along West Patterson Street with her then boyfriend the victim.

Nanovic imposed a fine of $200.

Korey F. Hinkle,Steven Wilbur Brennan, 50, of Albrightsville, pleaded to one count of DUI. He was arrested on Aug. 27, 2019, by state police at Fern Ridge along Route 534 in Penn Forest Township. A test revealed a 0.15 BAC.

He entered his plea via video conference from the county prison.

Nanovic sentenced him to serve five days to six months in jail, pay a fine of $300 and one-year license suspension. He was given credit for 90 days already served and paroled.

He will not be released from custody as Monroe County has a detainer on him for another DUI charge. He will now be transferred to Monroe County custody.

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