Defendants appeared in Schuylkill County court to be sentenced on criminal charges, given hearings for probation or parole violations, and hearings on setting their bail for future court appearances.

Charles Thomas Bechtel, 31, Ashland, pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon, manufacture of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance and was placed by Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin in the Intermediate Punishment Program (IPP) for a period of 23 months with the sentence to begin Wednesday, Aug. 7. The first 90 days will be under house arrest with electronic monitoring with a daily fee of $12. He also must pay $50 to Criminal Justice Enhancement Account (CJEA), $100 to Substance Abuse Education (SAE) fund, and make restitution of $176 to Bethlehem Regional Lab. Bechtel was cited by Trooper Troy Greenawald in Ashland.Michael B. Schott, 38, Frackville, pleaded guilty to two counts of terroristic threats, simple assault, criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct and was sentenced by Dolbin to serve 23 months on probation, pay $50 to CJEA fund, and was given credit for serving one day in prison. He was cited by Mahanoy City Officer Romanick, who charged he chased three juveniles with a broken flag staff and kicked a police car.Each defendant must also pay a $50 per month supervision fee.Bench warrantsMegan Ashley Zehner, of 15 E. Pine St., Sheppton, East Union Township, formerly of Sugarloaf, had her bench warrant dissolved by Dolbin and bail reinstated as previously set and ordered to attend all future court proceedings. Zehner faces a charge of retail theft from Kohl's Department Store, Fairlane Village Mall, Pottsville, filed by Trooper Timothy J. Rymarkiewicz.Michael Wimer, 22, of 215 E. Elm St., Tamaqua, had his bench warrant dissolved by Dolbin and bail set at $5,000 unsecured with special conditions he cannot relocate from his current address, and must attend all future court proceedings. Wimer faces two counts of retail theft. He was charged by Tamaqua Patrolman Matthew Houser, for in incident at Turkey Hill Mini Mart and by Patrolman Thomas Rodgers, an incident at the Advance Auto Store.RevocationsPauline Helen Pytak, 53, Shenandoah, after a hearing had her probation revoked by President Judge William E. Baldwin and was re-sentenced on charges of criminal conspiracy, criminal trespass on property on Preston Hill, Butler Township, and theft of moveable property to serve three to 23 months in the county prison and when released on probation to enroll in the Retail Theft Prevention program. When she originally pleaded guilty to the charges she was placed on probation.Jason Thomas Kerstetter, 23, Frackville, had his probation revoked by Baldwin and he was re-sentenced on a charge of simple assault to serve six to 23 months in the county prison with credit for serving 76 days. When he entered a guilty plea to the charge he was placed on probation.Edwin Michael Pauly, 50, Pottsville, had his parole revoked by Baldwin and was recommitted to the county prison with credit for time served of 62 days but 456 days of liberty were disallowed and added to his maximum date for release. The court told him it would not entertain an application for parole before Dec. 18. Pauly pleaded guilty to retail theft and was placed on probation. This was his second revocation.Michael John Liptok Jr., 24, Pottsville, had his probation revoked by Senior Judge D. Michael Stine because the Commonwealth had met its burden of proof at a hearing that Liptok violated conditions of his probation by failing to report a new arrest and was involved in assaulting another person.He was re-sentenced on a charge of stalking to serve three to 12 months in the county prison and on a charge of simple assault to serve an additional 12 months on probation. He received credit for 18 days already served.Kevin Mathew Mabry, 27, Pottsville, had his probation revoked by Stine after being found to have violating conditions of his probation. He failed to report to his probation officer, failed to receive permission to change his address, and continued to use illegal drugs. Mabry was re-sentenced to serve one to two years in a state correctional institution. This was his second revocation.