A Carbon County woman was placed on probation of a drug charge on Tuesday after the commonwealth agreed to a new plea deal.

She was one of four defendants who previously entered guilty pleas to criminal counts before Judge Joseph J. Matika.

Children in home

Tiffany Kaylei Buskirk, 25, of Parryville, was arrested on July 8, 2020, by state police at Lehighton. She was found with drug paraphernalia in her residence and there were four juveniles, ages 5 months, 2, 4 and 6 in the residence. She previously pleaded to one count each of possession of drug paraphernalia and endangering the welfare of a child with three other counts of the same charge dropped in a plea deal with the district attorney’s office.

On Tuesday, at the start of her sentencing hearing, defense counsel Brian Collins said he and the commonwealth reached a new deal in which she would be allowed to withdraw her plea to the endangering charge and instead enter a plea to one count of possession of a small amount of marijuana. The court accepted the new deal.

On the paraphernalia charge she was placed on probation for a year and ordered to render 50 hours of community service. On the small amount count she was fined $150.

Other cases

A Kingston, Luzerne County, man, was sentenced to a prison term on a charge of possession of a prohibitive weapon count.

Quinn Anthony Saffold, 26, was sentenced to serve nine to 23 months in prison on the charge.

He was arrested on Aug. 12, 2020, by state police at Fern Ridge following a traffic stop along Interstate 80 in East Side Borough.

He was also ordered to supply a DNA sample, get his GED diploma and render 50 hours of community service when paroled.

He was given credit for 217 days already served. His court hearing was done via video conference from the county prison, where he has been an inmate on the charges.

John Della-Vecchio, 61, of Palmerton, was placed on probation for a year on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia, ordered to pay a fine of $150 on a possession of a small amount of marijuana count, and $71 fine and costs for speeding.

He was arrested on the first count on July 3, 2019, by state police at Lehighton following a speeding stop along Route 248 at Bowmanstown. The second arrest occurred on Dec. 12, 2019, filed by Palmerton police for an incident along Route 248 and another speed stop.

Thomas Samuel Davis IV, 48, of Bethlehem, formerly of Hazleton, was sentenced to serve 30 days to one year in prison on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. In exchange for the plea the district attorney’s office dropped a possession of a controlled substance charge.

He was arrested following a traffic stop along Hudsondale Street on April 2, 2019, by Weatherly police.

He was also ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and render 50 hours of community service when paroled.

He was given credit for 22 days already served. His hearing was done via video from the county prison.

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