A Carbon County man admitted in the county court on Tuesday to assaulting his wife.

He was one of 15 defendants in pending criminal cases to enter a guilty plea before President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II.

Summit Hill incident

Philip Argott,

43, of Lansford, pleaded to one count of simple assault for an incident on Dec. 26, 2019, at a residence along East Fell Street, Summit Hill, with his wife, the victim. A felony count of strangulation was dropped in a plea deal with the district attorney’s office.

Police were dispatched to the residence for a domestic dispute and a report of a man who refused to leave the residence. On scene police found Argott. The police report indicated there was an active protection from abuse order in place at the time, but Argott and his defense counsel, Eric Wiltrout, of the public defender’s office, said no PFA order was in place at the time.

Argott also denied choking his wife, as the police report indicated.

He told the court, “I made a mistake.”

Nanovic sentenced him to serve one to one day less 24 months in prison with credit for 55 days already served and paroled him. He was also ordered to get both drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations and follow any recommendations for treatment, attend and successfully complete an anger management course, supply a DNA sample and have no contact with the victim.

Assault cases

Austin R. McBride,

25, of Lansford, pleaded to one count each of defiant trespass, criminal mischief and simple assault. In exchange for the plea, a felony count of criminal trespass was dropped in a plea deal with the DA.

He was arrested on Feb. 9 by Lansford police for an incident in the 300 block of East Bertsch Street. Police were dispatched for a report of a man kicking in a door and entering a residence and refusing to leave. The caller was listed in the police report of as the girlfriend of McBride. The victim’s mother tried to intervene and was assaulted by McBride, police said.

McBride is currently an inmate in the county prison.

On the assault count, Nanovic sentenced him to time-served (38 days) to one day less 24 months. On the other two counts McBride was placed on probation for a year on each count running concurrent to each other but consecutive to the assault charge. He was also ordered to supply a DNA sample, get both drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations and have no contact with the two victims.

Elena Weaver,

23, of Lansford, pleaded to one count of simple assault. In exchange for the plea, a charge of terroristic threats was dropped in a plea deal with the DA.

She was arrested on Jan. 30 by Lansford police. Police responded to a report of a disturbance along South Walnut Street. Police said Weaver assaulted a woman at the scene. The police report stated Weaver threatened to stab the victim with scissors.

Nanovic placed her on probation for 18 months and ordered her to get both drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations and have no contact with the victim.

Other pleas

Jessyca Smale,

21, of Summit Hill, pleaded to one count of flight to avoid apprehension. She was arrested on Jan. 9 by Summit Hill police along West Ludlow Street. Police responded to an unwanted person report. On scene the defendant’s mother said her daughter refused to leave the residence. Police were told there was an active warrant for Smale’s arrest. When they attempted to serve the warrant, she fled on foot but was eventually taken into custody.

Nanovic placed her on probation for six months and ordered her to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and zero tolerance imposed on drug or alcohol use.

Michael Thomas Graziano,

40, of Bergan Beach, New York, pleaded to one count of false identification to law enforcement. He was arrested along West Railroad Street in Nesquehoning after police questioned him in another matter. He gave the officers a false name. He said he did it because he knew there were active warrants for his arrest.

He is currently an inmate in the Monroe County prison facing a driving under the influence charge and has a pending DUI case in Carbon County.

Nanovic sentenced him to time-served (11 days) to 12 months in prison.

Allison VanHorn,

26, of Parryville, pleaded to one count of disorderly conduct, as a summary offense. In exchange for the plea, charges of false reports to incriminate another and unsworn falsification were dropped in a plea deal. She was arrested on March 14, 2019, by Lansford police in the area 312 W. Patterson St.

Nanovic imposed a fine of $300.

Candice Blaze Bracero,

32, of Jim Thorpe, pleaded to one count of retail theft. She was arrested on April 2, 2019, by Mahoning Township police for an incident at the Walmart store. She and a co-defendant stole $331.50 worth of merchandise.

She was placed on probation for a year and ordered to supply a DNA sample, get a drug and alcohol evaluation and make restitution of $156.36, her share of the total due.

Jason Bracero,

30, of Jim Thorpe, brother of Candice Bracero and co-defendant in the retail theft at Walmart, also pleaded to one count of retail theft for his part in the matter. The count is a felony 3.

He is currently an inmate in the county prison facing a parole/probation violation proceeding.

Nanovic sentenced him to serve two to 18 months in prison and ordered he supply a DNA sample, get a drug and alcohol evaluation and make restitution of $165.50. He was given credit for 60 days already served.

Wesley L. Behler,

28, of Lansford, pleaded to one count of persistent disorderly conduct. In exchange for the plea, charges of retail theft, conspiracy retail theft, theft and conspiracy theft were dropped in a plea deal with the DA.

He was charged by Mahoning Township police for an incident on June 6, 2019, at the Verizon store along Route 443 where two cellphones/iPhones valued at $1,560 were taken, according to the police report. Nanovic called the plea agreement “creative.”

Nanovic placed him on probation for six months and ordered he get a drug and alcohol evaluation.

Behler is currently an inmate in the county prison on parole violation.

Tyjah Nelie Smith,

22, of Lansford, pleaded to one count of persistent disorderly conduct. In exchange for the plea, a charge of simple assault was dropped in a plea deal with the DA.

Smith was arrested on Sept. 3, 2019, by Lansford police for assaulting a female in the area of 22-32 W. Patterson St. Police responded to a report of a disturbance in the parking lot of the Turkey Hill Market. Smith was found causing the disturbance.

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

Christina Marie Heck,

27, of Nanticoke, Luzerne County, pleaded to one count of disorderly conduct, as a summary offense. In exchange for the plea a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia was dropped in a plea deal with the DA.

She was arrested on April 29, 2019, by Lansford police along Edgemont Road. Police responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in the area. Heck was the driver of the vehicle.

Nanovic imposed a fine of $300.

Jaden Valentini,

19, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count of disorderly conduct, as a summary offense. In exchange for the plea two drug charges were dropped - possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana.

He was arrested on Jan. 23, 2019, by Lehighton police along Route 443 near the Sunoco station.

Nanovic imposed a fine of $300.

Samantha N. Gulla,

34, of Summit Hill, pleaded to one count of disorderly conduct as a summary offense. In exchange for the plea, two drug counts - possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia - were dropped in a plea deal with the DA.

She was arrested following a traffic stop on Oct. 16, 2018, by Lansford police at Patterson and Leisenring streets.

Nanovic imposed a fine of $100.

Jeremy Gothard,

40, of Lansford, pleaded to one count of tampering with a registration plate. He was arrested on April 30, 2019, by Lansford police along West Ridge Street. Police found two vehicles with the registration on them altered or tampered with. His plea was for one of the vehicles.

Sentencing was deferred.

DUI case

Scott Jay Gangaway,

43, of Palmerton, was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, pay a fine of $1,000 and one-year license suspension on a DUI count. On a charge of possession of a small amount of marijuana, he was fined $250.

He was arrested on April 23, 2018, by Lehighton police along Route 443. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance. He previously pleaded to the charge.

He was given credit for three days already spent in jail on the charge and paroled.

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