A Carbon County man had four felony counts dropped against him and pleaded to a summary offense on Monday in the county court.

He was one of 14 defendants in pending criminal cases to enter a guilty plea before Judge Joseph J. Matika.

Franklin incident

Michael Lee Coleman, 42, of Palmerton, pleaded to disorderly conduct with felony charges of burglary, theft, receiving stolen property and criminal trespass dropped in a plea deal with the district attorney’s office.

Coleman and Anthony Riggio, 36, of Lehighton, were arrested by Franklin Township police on Dec. 22, 2019, at a location along Rock Street.

Police said the incident occurred at 2:45 p.m. when officers were called for a report of two men who showed up at the property, entered the shed, and removed a dirt bike.

Police said the men were confronted by a juvenile on scene, but continued to load the dirt bike and left the scene.

An officer saw the vehicle at the Carbon Mini Mart in Lehighton, at which time it was stopped. Police said inside the vehicle were Coleman and Riggio. Both men were taken into custody and the dirt bike was recovered.

Matika asked why the DA dropped all the felony counts against Coleman.

Defense attorney Arley L. Kemmerer said that Coleman told police that he didn’t know that the bike was being stolen. He claimed that Riggio told him they had permission to take the dirt bike and he only learned after being arrested that was stolen.

She said the assistant DA prosecuting the case asked the arresting officer to investigate the claim. She said the ADA then agreed to the summary plea.

Matika sentenced Coleman to time-served, nine to 19 days in jail.

In January Riggio pleaded to one count of criminal trespass before President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II and was sentenced to serve six to one day less 24 months in prison with credit for 80 days already served.

Other pleas

Nathanial Cunningham, 25, of White Haven, pleaded guilty to one count of terroristic threats for an incident on April 10 in Weatherly. He was charged for threatening to shoot his ex-girlfriend and her male acquaintance. In exchange for the plea, a felony count of possession of a prohibited offensive weapon was dropped in a plea deal with the District Attorney’s office.

Police said the incident occurred at Heritage Hill. Police said a woman was being dropped off by a man to go to work when Cunningham confronted them with racial slurs and threatened, “I’m going to get my gun, and I’m going to (shoot) you in the face.” When police responded, Cunningham was driving away. He was placed into custody, and had a dagger in his front left pocket.

Cunningham told police that the victim was his old girlfriend and that he still loves her.

Matika placed him on probation for two years and ordered he get both drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations and follow any recommendations for treatment, supply a DNA sample, have no contact with the victims and stay off the Heritage Hill property.

Alexandra Gail Zelinsky, 25, 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 Dec. 25, 2020, by state police at Lehighton along Lehigh Drive in Bowmanstown, following a traffic stop.

She admitted to a drug addiction problem.

She was placed on probation for a year and ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and render 50 hours of community service.

She is currently an inmate in the county prison.

William Daniel McHose, 34, of Nesquehoning, pleaded to one count of theft from a motor vehicle.

He was arrested by Nesquehoning police on March 29, 2016, for entering a vehicle along Mumano Avenue and taking loose change and a pair of gloves from the vehicle.

McHose said he had a drug problem at the time but has since addressed it, went through a rehabilitation program, has been drug free and started his own business and a family.

Matika placed him on probation for six months and ordered he render 25 hours of community service.

Christopher Ryan Miller, 33, of Slatington, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was arrested on Sept. 6, 2019, by state police at Lehighton following a traffic stop along Covered Bridge Road in Lower Towamensing Township. He was a passenger in the vehicle.

He was placed on probation for a year and ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and render 50 hours of community service.

Kidanny Colon-Perez, 30, of Bronx, New York, pleaded to one count each of possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a small amount of marijuana, driving under suspension and stop sign violation.

He was arrested on July 26, 2020, by state police at Lehighton along Pohopoco Drive in Towamensing Township following a traffic stop.

He was placed on probation for six months on the paraphernalia charge and fined $150 on the marijuana count, $200 on the suspension charge and $25 for the stop sign violation.

Jordan Michael Ohl, 25, of Tamaqua, pleaded to one count of driving under the influence of a controlled substance.

He was arrested on July 2, 2019, by state police at Lehighton along Bank Street in Bowmanstown.

Sentencing was deferred so he can obtain a drug and alcohol evaluation.

Patricia Lynn Moyer, 56, of Palmerton, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

She was arrested on March 6 by state police at Lehighton along Hemlock Street in Lower Towamensing Township. Heroin was found with a charge of possession of a controlled substance dropped in a plea deal.

Matika placed her on probation for a year and ordered her to get both drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations and render 25 hours of community service.

Cervantes Lebron, 21, of Philadelphia, pleaded to one count of possession of a small amount of marijuana.

She was arrested on July 25, 2020, by state police at Lehighton following a traffic stop.

She was fined $150.

Sterling Jame Yocom, 36, of Easton, pleaded to one count of possession of a small amount of marijuana.

He was arrested on Jan. 21, by state police following a traffic stop.

He was fined $150.

Tiffany L. Tomsic, 36, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count of drivers required to be licensed with a charge of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle dropped in a plea deal with the DA.

She was arrested on Aug. 14, 2019, by Franklin Township police for an incident involving a 2000 Dodge Caravan and a township resident.

She was fined $200.

Leroy Merrell Sullivan, 41, of Wilkes-Barre, pleaded to one count each of possession of marijuana and driving wile operating privileges are suspended for revoked.

He was arrested following a vehicle stop along Hudsondale Street by Weatherly police.

On the drug count he was fined $150 and on the suspension charge a fine of $200.

Diane Boyle, 25, of Pottsville, pleaded to one count of identity theft.

She was charged by Palmerton police for an incident on Dec. 13, 2020, when she used the debit card of a borough resident without permission.

Matika placed her on probation for a year and ordered her to supply a DNA sample, render 50 hours of community service and have no contact with the victim.

Jason Carl Koons, 39, of Bowmanstown, pleaded to one count of persistent disorderly conduct for an incident on April 24, 2020, in Bowmanstown, filed by state police at Lehighton. He caused damages to property of a relative.

He was placed on probation for a year and ordered to get a mental health evaluation, render 50 hours of community service, pay restitution of $1,994 to State Farm Insurance and have no contact with the victim.

He is currently an inmate in the county prison after serving a prior sentence but has not been released because he has no residence to live.

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