A Philadelphia man pleaded guilty in Carbon County court on Thursday to fleeing or attempting to elude police and false identification to law enforcement.

He was one of 10 defendants in pending criminal cases to enter a guilty plea before Judge Joseph J. Matika.

Kidder incident

Paul Peter Monaco, 42, was originally charged with 16 counts including felony counts of theft and receiving stolen property. The fleeing charge he pleaded to was reduced from a felony count to a misdemeanor 2 in a plea deal with the district attorney’s office. Some of the other misdemeanor charges dropped were criminal mischief and resisting arrest. Also included in the charges were eight summary motor vehicle code violations.

Monaco was arrested on Jan. 13, 2018, by state police at Fern Ridge along Route 903 in Kidder Township. He was accused of stealing a Dodge Ram truck of a township resident.

Monaco admitted to a drug addiction problem and said he has been trying to address it but has had relapses. He said his problem surfaced after he completed service with the U.S. Marines.

He also told Matika he recently finished serving a 4½-year federal prison sentence on a drug charge.

Matika placed him on probation for a year and ordered he get both drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations and render 50 hours of community service. The same sentence was imposed on both counts with the terms running concurrently.

Other pleas

Craig Maurice Rudolph Jr., 30, of Plymouth, Luzerne County, pleaded to one count of fleeing or attempting to elude police.

He was arrested on Sept. 6, 2020, along Interstate 80 in Kidder Township by state police at Fern Ridge. He was originally stopped for speeding, 87 mph in a 65 zone. As the trooper approached Rudolph’s vehicle for the speed stop, he sped away and a chase ensued. The trooper lost sight of Rudolph’s vehicle for a time but later found in crashed in a wooded area. Rudolph then fled on foot but was eventually apprehended.

He was originally charged with 11 counts, 10 of which were summary motor vehicle code violations. They were all dropped in a plea deal.

Matika placed him on probation for a year and ordered he render 50 hours of community service.

Alyssa Marie Dilemme, 29, of Slatington, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. She was arrested on Feb. 25, 2020, by state police at Lehighton following a traffic stop in the area of Golf Road. She was a passenger in the vehicle. Marijuana was found.

In a plea deal a felony count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance was dropped.

She was previously placed in the Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition probation program in November 2020 for first-time offenders but was revoked from it for violating conditions.

Matika placed her on probation for a year and ordered her to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and render 50 hours of community service. The term runs concurrent with a sentence she is now serving.

Keith Russell Breiner, 60, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count of criminal mischief.

He was arrested by Franklin Township police for an incident on Aug. 24, 2021, involving his neighbor, who is also a relative of his, involving a truck owned by the victim.

He was placed on probation for a year and ordered to have no contact with the victim.

Timothy Peters,Corinthian Taylor Mason, 28, of Palmerton, pleaded to one count each of persistent disorderly conduct and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was arrested on May 11, 2021, by Franklin Township police for an incident at Route 209 and Bank Street.

Mason is currently an inmate in the county prison on the charges.

Matika placed him on probation for a year and ordered he get a drug and alcohol evaluation and render 50 hours of community service.

The sentence was imposed on both charges, with the terms running concurrently.

Joseph Franz, 34, of Andreas, pleaded to one count of retail theft.

He was arrested on Oct. 15, 2017, by Mahoning Township police at the Walmart store.

Sentencing was deferred so he can apply for the house arrest program.

Gregory Samuel Nyce, 33, of Jim Thorpe, pleaded to one count each of possession of a small amount of marijuana and a summary offense of driving at an unsafe speed. He was arrested on Nov. 9, 2020, by state police at Hazleton along Maple Street in Banks Township.

Matika imposed a fine of $150 on the drug count, $25 on the summary offense plus costs.

DUI cases

Jennifer Lynn Billings, 47, of Tamaqua, was sentenced to serve six months in the county’s Restrictive Conditions of Probation program (house arrest), with the first 15 days on electronic monitoring, ordered to pay a fine of $1,000, license suspended for a year and render 25 hours of community service.

She previously entered a guilty plea to a driving under the influence of a controlled substance charge. She was arrested on Dec. 30, 2020, by state police at Lehighton along Bowmans Road in East Penn Township.

Michael Andrew Fatula, 55, of Beaver Meadows, pleaded to one count of DUI. He was arrested on Oct. 22, 2021, along Main Street in Banks Township by state police at Hazleton.

He was placed on probation for six months and ordered to pay a fine of $300 and render 25 hours of community service.

Duane Perry, 43, of Hazleton, pleaded to summary offenses of driving without a license and improper stop in exchange for a DUI of a controlled substance charge being dropped. He was arrested on Aug. 6, 2018, by Weatherly police along Second Street.

He was fined $200 on the suspension charge and $25 on the improper stop plus costs.

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