A Monroe County woman was given a time-served sentence on Thursday afternoon in Carbon County court on a drug charge.

She was one of seven defendants who previously pleaded guilty to appear before Judge Steven R. Serfass for sentencing.

Traffic stop

Desiree Louise Kaminitsky, 33, of Blakeslee, was sentenced to time-served (205 days) to one day less 24 months in prison on charges of possession of a controlled substance and endangering the welfare of a child. She was also placed on probation for six months, consecutive to the first sentence.

She was charged on April 4, 2019, by state police at Fern Ridge following a traffic stop along Route 903 in Penn Forest Township. During the stop police conducted a vehicle search and found methamphetamine. A 6-year-old girl was in the car.

Defense Attorney Paul J. Levy told the court since her arrest she addressed a drug addiction issue. She spent 202 days in an inpatient drug rehabilitation program run by the Salvation Army, plus three days in jail.

Serfass also ordered her to get a drug and alcohol evaluation, zero tolerance imposed for drug or alcohol use and render a total of 125 hours of community service.

Defiant trespass

Russell B. Woodward Jr., 63, of Lansford, was sentenced to serve 10 days to 12 months in prison on charges of defiant trespass and public drunkenness, a summary offense. He was given credit for 10 days already served and paroled.

In exchange for the pleas, felony counts of attempted burglary and criminal attempt were dropped in a plea deal with the district attorney’s office.

He was arrested on Aug. 19, 2015, after Lansford police responded to a residence along East Bertsch Street for a report of an unwanted person. Woodward was found and appeared to be visibly intoxicated. He claimed he was under the influence of medication that had been prescribed for him.

Although he was given a time-served type sentence, he will remain in the county prison were he is being held on a probation violation petition filed by the adult probation office.

He was also ordered to get both drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations.

Resisting arrest

Elizabeth Ann Kent, 30, of Nesquehoning, was placed on probation for a total of three years on charges of resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. She was charged for an incident on Feb. 11 at the courthouse in Jim Thorpe.

Sheriff deputies assisted probation officers who attempted to place Kent under arrest. She struggled with the officers and had to be physically carried to the sheriff office for transportation to the county prison. She fell on the floor and refused to cooperate. Inside the sheriff’s office area she continued her combative behavior by yelling and screaming. That conduct continued while she was transported to the prison.

She said she is currently receiving mental health counseling. She told the court, “I’ve been trying to find a job.”

She was also ordered to get a mental health evaluation, zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use and render a total of 150 hours of community service.

Other cases

Nina Renee Hofstetter, 39, of Easton, was placed on probation for a year on a charge of simple assault.

She was arrested for an incident on Oct. 27, 2019, at her then home in Summit Hill where she was accused of assaulting her then 17-year-old daughter. In exchange for the plea a felony 2 count of strangulation was dropped in a plea deal with the district attorney’s office.

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

The term runs consecutive to a probation term she is currently serving in a drug case.

Phillip Anthony Dalessandro, 57, of Bangor, was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, pay a fine of $1,000, license suspended for a year and render 25 hours of community service on a driving under the influence charge.

He arrested on July 22, 2020, by state police at Lehighton along Interchange Road in Franklin Township. He was charged with DUI of a controlled substance.

He will begin serving the prison term at 9 a.m. on Nov. 30.

Timothy W. Higgins, 44, of Effort, was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, pay a fine of $1,000, one year license suspension and render 25 hours of community service on a DUI charge.

He arrested on Sept. 4, 2018, by state police at Fern Ridge along Old Stage Road in Penn Forest Township, for DUI of a controlled substance.

He will begin serving the prison term on Nov. 15 at 11 a.m.

Kari Ann McCoy, 33, of Hazleton, was placed on probation for a year on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. She was arrested on Aug. 23, 2021, by Lehighton police following a traffic stop. A charge of possession of a controlled substance was dropped in a plea deal.

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

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