A Carbon County man was sentenced to a county prison term last week after entering guilty pleas in two pending criminal cases, including a drug-dealing charge.

He was one of four defendants in pending criminal cases to appear before Judge Joseph J. Matika.

Two cases

Brandin Lee Brong, 27, of Summit Hill, who also listed a Bath, Northampton County, address, pleaded to one count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance for an incident on Aug. 20, 2018, in Nesquehoning. In a second case he pleaded to counts of firearm not to be carried without a license and driving under suspension - DUI related for an incident on Jan. 13, 2020, filed by state police at Lehighton following a traffic stop in the area of Routes 248 and 209, in Franklin Township.

In the Nesquehoning incident, Brong was in a vehicle with a Sean M. Williams, 29, of Whitehall, when stopped by borough police.

In an affidavit of probable cause, officer Timothy Wuttke said he was dispatched at 4:16 a.m. to a business along East Catawissa Street for a crash and upon arrival observed a blue Dodge Avenger that had crashed into the embankment on the shoulder of the northbound lane. He said a witness said the vehicle was traveling south when it left the right side of the roadway, struck a trailer parked in a lot on the side of the road, then crossed both lanes and came to rest against the embankment.

The witness said there were three men in the vehicle, but Wuttke found only two men at the scene. The witness also told police one of the men “appeared to be on something and attempted to get into his vehicle and demanded he get him out of there quick.” The officer spoke to Brong and Williams, who he identified at the scene, and both complained of minor injuries but refused medical treatment.

Wuttke said Williams was the driver of the vehicle and Brong was a passenger. Williams told the officer he fell asleep and the car left the road, striking the trailer. Asked about a third person who was in the vehicle, Brong and Williams told Wuttke the third man’s name is “Esi,” saying they just met him and did not know his last name.

During questioning, Williams and Brong both denied being under the influence of anything. Police said Brong admitted he had a gun in his backpack and that he was not licensed to carry a concealed weapon.

The officer took Brong into custody and, while searching him, found a bag of methamphetamine in his pocket and wallet. When the officer checked the backpack, he found two firearms, an unloaded SIG Sauer P226 .40-caliber handgun and a loaded SIG Sauer P229 .357-magnum handgun, as well as another plastic baggie containing drugs, a digital scale, empty black plastic bags and numerous pink plastic bags commonly used for packaging methamphetamine.

Wuttke said a search of Williams resulted in the officer finding a pink plastic baggie with drugs in it that Williams admitted was methamphetamine, and a pen tube in his pocket that he told police he used to snort the drug.

The methamphetamine in Brong’s possession weighed 3.5 grams, and the substance on Williams was about 1.8 grams, police said. A check on the guns showed they are registered to two separate people other than Brong.

In the second case involving state police, two firearm counts, including a felony charge of possession of a firearm with the manufacturer number altered, were dropped in a plea deal with the district attorney’s office.

On the drug-dealing charge Matika sentenced Brong to serve nine to 23 months in the county prison and ordered he get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment and render 100 hours of community service when paroled.

On the driving under suspension count he was sentenced to serve 45 to 90 days in jail, but must serve the full 90 days and pay a fine of $500. On the firearms count he was sentenced to serve two to 12 months in prison. The three prison terms run concurrently.

He was given credit for a total of 247 days already served on the charges.

Other cases

Mark James Marlatt Jr., 20, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count of corruption of minors.

He was charged by state police at Lehighton for an incident on Oct. 31, 2019, along Summer Mountain Road in Towamensing Township for giving a female juvenile illegal substances - methamphetamine, according to the police report.

He was placed on probation for a year and ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation, render 50 hours of community service, make restitution of $214.19 to the victim and have no contact with the victim.

Melissa Cesanek, 37, of Palmerton, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia with a count of possession of a controlled substance dropped in a plea deal.

She was arrested on Sept. 26, 2020, by Franklin Township police along State Road.

She was sentenced to time-served (83 days) to one year in jail and ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation, render 25 hours of community service and have no contact with the victim.

ARD

Djon Rashad Williams, 23, of Pittsburgh, was placed in the Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition probation program for six months on a charge of possession of a small amount of marijuana. He was arrested on Nov. 25, 2019, by state police at Fern Ridge following a traffic stop along Interstate 80 westbound in Kidder Township.

He was assessed $400 for the cost of the program and ordered to render 25 hours of community service.

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