A Carbon County woman pleaded guilty on Friday in two pending driving under the influence cases.

She was one of 17 defendants in pending DUI cases to enter a guilty plea before Judge Joseph J. Matika.

High levels

Rebecca Suzanne Hrusovsky Johnson,

52, of Weissport, was arrested on Jan. 13, 2019, by Franklin Township police along Route 209 (Interchange Road). A blood test revealed a 0.30 BAC. She was arrested a second time on July 2, 2019, by Lehighton police along Bridge Street. A blood test revealed a 0.41 BAC. Under state law, a person is considered under the influence of alcohol with a 0.08 BAC.

Johnson told the court she spent 31 days in an inpatient drug and alcohol rehabilitation program and has been doing “everything” to stay off alcohol use.

On the first count Matika sentenced her to serve five days to six months with credit of five days, and paroled her. On the second case she was sentenced to time-served (44 days) in jail, concurrent with the first count, followed by 22 months and 16 days in the Restrictive Conditions of Probation program, formerly the Intermediate Punishment Program - house arrest - with the first 46 days on electronic monitoring. She must pay fines totaling $800, license suspensions totaling 24 months and render a total of 75 hours of community service.

Other pleas

Brian C. Kane,

48, of Nesquehoning, entered guilty pleas in five pending cases to three counts of DUI of a controlled substance, two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and one count each of possession of a controlled substance and hindering apprehension.

He was arrested on the DUI cases on May 5, 7 and 29, 2019, all by Lansford police. The first paraphernalia count occurred on April 17, 2019, by Lansford police and the other two drug counts at the May 29 stop. The hindering charge occurred on June 21, 2019, filed by Lansford police when officers were attempting to serve a warrant on another person and Kane interfered with the service of the warrant.

Sentencing was deferred so Kane can obtain a drug and alcohol evaluation and also apply for the RCP.

Joshua Minaker,

34, of White Haven, was arrested on May 15, 2019, along Main Street by Weatherly police. A 5-month-old child was found in the vehicle at the time of the stop. He also pleaded to two counts of recklessly endangering another person.

On the DUI count he was sentenced to serve 72 hours to 60 months in jail, pay a fine of $1,000, 18-month license suspension, supply a DNA sample, get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment and render a total of 150 hours of community service. On the two recklessly endangering charges he was placed on probation for a year on each count, running concurrent to each other and concurrent with the DUI charge.

He will begin the jail term at 10 a.m. on Aug. 7.

Melissa McGowan,

40, of Lehighton, was arrested on Jan. 23 by Lehighton police at Bridge and Union streets. A test revealed a 0.13 BAC.

A first offense, she was placed on probation for six months and ordered to pay a fine of $300 and render 25 hours of community service.

Dakota Charles Heintzelman,

22, of Jim Thorpe, was arrested for DUI of a controlled substance on May 28, 2018, along Route 895 in East Penn Township, by state police at Lehighton.

Sentencing was deferred so he can obtain a drug and alcohol evaluation and apply for placement in the RCP.

Austin Dean Santee,

28, of Lehighton, was arrested on Aug. 22, 2015, by state police at Lehighton at East Penn Peak and Blue Mountain Road in East Penn Township. A test revealed a 0.22 BAC.

A first offense, he was placed on probation for six months and ordered to pay a fine of $300 and render 25 hours of community service.

Matthew David Beers,

46, of Lehighton, was arrested for DUI of a controlled substance on Dec. 1, 2016, by Nesquehoning police along Catawissa Street. He was previously placed in the Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition probation program but was revoked from it for violating conditions.

Sentencing was deferred so he can obtain a drug and alcohol evaluation.

William Michell,

38, of Slatington, was arrested for DUI of a controlled substance on Oct. 27, 2019, along Route 209 in Franklin Township by state police at Lehighton.

Sentencing was deferred so he can obtain a drug and alcohol evaluation.

Kyle Robert Yandrisovitz,

27, of Bethlehem, was arrested on Nov. 27, 2016, by state police at Lehighton along Little Gap Road in Lower Towamensing Township. A test revealed a 0.22 BAC. He was previously placed in the ARD program but was revoked from it for violating conditions.

Sentencing was deferred.

Tara Danielle Smalley,

49, of Summit Hill, was arrested on Dec. 14, 2019, by Mahoning Township police along Mill Road. A test revealed a 0.20 BAC.

Sentencing was deferred so she can apply for the RCP.

Mitchell Stadnik,

56, of Weatherly, was arrested on Dec. 14, 2019, by Weatherly police along West Main Street. A test revealed a 0.13 BAC.

A first offense, he was placed on probation for six months and ordered to pay a fine of $300 and render 25 hours of community service.

Delbert Clyde Levan,

64, of Lehighton, was arrested on Oct. 18, 2019, by Lehighton police along Route 443. He refused a blood test.

He was sentenced to serve five days to six months in jail, pay a fine of $300, one year license suspension and render 25 hours of community service.

He will begin the jail term at 7 p.m. on Aug. 7 and serve two days; then Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. and serve three days.

Stephanie Lynn Blew,

33, of Hazleton, was arrested for DUI of a controlled substance on Dec. 27, 2016, by state police at Lehighton along Little Gap Road in Lower Towamensing Township.

Sentencing was deferred so she can get a drug and alcohol evaluation and apply for the RCP.

Matthew E. Hammel,

36, of Lehighton, was arrested for DUI of a controlled substance on Sept. 2, 2019, by state police at Lehighton along Route 209.

He was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, pay a fine of $1,000, a year license suspension and render 25 hours of community service. Hammel is currently an inmate in the county prison.

Greg Crostley,

50, of Lehighton, was arrested for DUI of a controlled substance on Jan. 16 by Lehighton police along Route 443.

Sentencing was deferred so he can obtain a drug and alcohol evaluation.

Darin Murphy,

54, of Albrightsville, was arrested for DUI of a controlled substance on Jan. 31 by Palmerton police along Delaware Avenue. He also pleaded to possession of marijuana.

Matika sentenced him to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, a fine of $1,000, one-year license suspension and render 25 hours of community service. On the possession count he was fined $100.

He will begin the jail term at 9 a.m. on Aug. 7.

Deanna Marie Brunner,

32, of East Stroudsburg, was arrested for DUI of a controlled substance on Nov. 25, 2018, by state police at Lehighton, along Pohopoco Drive, in Towamensing Township.

Her plea was done by video from the Monroe County prison. She was sentenced to serve one to five years in a state correctional institution, pay a fine of $2,500, an 18 month license suspension, 100 hours of community service when paroled and supply a DNA sample. She was given credit for five days already served.

The term runs concurrent with a two- to seven-year state sentence she is about to begin serving which was imposed in Monroe County on conspiracy charges.

False ID

Joel Enrique Cabrera,

25, of Bronx, New York, pleaded to one count each of false identification to law enforcement and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested following a traffic stop along Franklin Road in Franklin Township by state police at Fern Ridge. His plea was done via Zoom from the Bronx.

Matika imposed fines totaling $500.

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