Three defendants in drug-related cases entered guilty pleas in Carbon County court on Friday and were immediately sentenced to county prison terms.

The three appeared via video conference from the county prison in Nesquehoning, before Judge Steven R. Serfass. In the courtroom, in following guidelines for the COVID-19, were Serfass, court personnel including a stenographer, clerk of courts office representative, tipstaff, a sheriff deputy, an assistant district attorney and the attorney representing the defendant.

Those appearing included:

Trevor Hunsicker,

32, of Lehighton, who pleaded to one count of possession of a controlled substance, heroin. He was arrested on Feb. 16 in Lehighton by members of the county drug task force and borough police. He was in a vehicle stopped by police on information they received.

Hunsicker told Serfass, “I just like to get my life back.” He said he was off drugs after completing an inpatient Salvation Army program. After being released from the program, he had a stroke and said that led him back to drug use and addiction.

Serfass sentenced him to serve three to one day less 24 months in prison, get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment, zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use and render 100 hours of community service when paroled. He was given credit for 64 days already served.

Stacey Lynn Stafiniak,

27, of Palmerton, pleaded to one count of possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine. She was arrested on Sept. 25, 2019, in Lehighton by members of the drug task force and borough police following a traffic stop. She was a passenger in the vehicle and found with meth.

Serfass sentenced her to serve six to one day less 24 months in prison and ordered her to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and render 100 hours of community service when paroled. She was given credit for 180 days already served. She also has a pending probation violation hearing.

Gregory Steven Ross,

33, of Albrightsville, pleaded to one count of possession of a controlled substance, heroin. He was arrested on July 2, 2019, by state police at Fern Ridge after they went to a Penn Forest Township residence looking to serve a warrant. Ross was found with heroin on him, and he had another warrant pending.

Serfass sentenced him to time-served (198 days) to one year in jail and ordered he get a drug and alcohol evaluation and render 50 hours of community service.

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