Carbon County Court Judge Steven R. Serfass recently accepted guilty pleas and sentenced several people charged by local police.

Sean Doolittle, 70, no address given, was charged by Lehighton Borough Police Officer Bruce T. Broyles with possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia on April 12, 2022.

Doolittle pleaded guilty to the marijuana charge; the other charges were dismissed.

Serfass fined him $300 and a total of $1,077 in other costs and fees.

Robert F. Lindner, 68, Jim Thorpe, was charged by Jim Thorpe Police Detective Lee J. Marzen with two counts each of giving false written statements concerning the purchase, delivery or transfer of a firearm and statement under penalty on Nov. 3, 2025.

Lindner pleaded guilty to the false statements charges, and Serfass placed him on probation for nine months, and ordered him to pay court costs.

The remaining charges were dismissed.

Anthony Focht, 50, Summit Hill, was charged by Lehighton Borough Police Officer Justus W. Altmiller with driving under the influence of a controlled substance or metabolite, first offense; DUI of a controlled substance, schedule 2 or 3 drug, first offense; no rear lights; possession of drug paraphernalia; and possession of a controlled substance on Sept. 24, 2023.

Focht pleaded guilty to DUI of a controlled substance. The remaining charges were dropped.

Serfass sentenced Focht to serve 72 hours to six months in the Carbon County Correctional Facility; fined him $1,000; ordered him to undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation and comply with any recommendations; complete the Alcohol Highway Safety school; perform 25 hours of community service; and surrender his license for 12 months.

Dena C. Michelsen, 49, Staten Island, New York, was charged by Fern Ridge State Trooper Christopher A. Gaetano with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle; driving while her license was suspended or revoked; disregarding traffic lanes; failure to keep right; and speeding on May 8, 2023 in Penn Forest Township.

She pleaded guilty to unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. The remaining charges were dropped.

Serfass sentenced Michelsen to pay $16,658 to Progressive Insurance; serve 12 months probation; pay a $100 LiveScan fee and a $50 monthly supervision fee; submit a DNA sample and pay the $250 fee; and perform 50 hours of community service.

Serfass also accepted a Jim Thorpe man into the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program.

The program, for first-time nonviolent offenders, offers the opportunity for defendants to apply to have their records expunged up completion. Acceptance into the program is not an admission of guilt.

Timothy C. Frantz, 59, Jim Thorpe, was charged by borough police Detective Lee J. Marzen with two counts each of giving false written statements concerning the purchase, delivery or transfer of a firearm and statement under penalty on June 24, 2025.

Serfass accepted Frantz into the ARD program for one year and ordered him to pay $450 to offset the cost of the program.

In addition, he ordered Frantz to pay a $100 LiveScan fee and a $50 monthly supervision fee and to perform 50 hours of community service.