A Carbon County man entered guilty pleas on Monday in the county court to drug charges in which felony counts were dropped.

Damian Strausberger, 20, of Summit Hill, pleaded to one count each of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. In exchange for the pleas, the district attorney’s office dropped two felony counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and another count of possession of a controlled substance, public drunkenness and loitering or prowling at night.

He was arrested by Lansford police on Sept. 24, 2020, when he told officers he was selling drugs to support his habit.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by Sgt. Shawn Nunemacher at 9:45 p.m. Sept. 24, Nunemacher noticed Strausberger sitting to the side of Turkey Hill. Upon pulling into the parking lot, Nunemacher noticed another man approaching Strausberger, and upon seeing Nunemacher, he fist bumped and walked away.

Nunemacher made contact with Strausberger, and when he informed him why he was stopping to talk to him, Strausberger became offensive. While speaking to Strausberger, Nunemacher could smell the odor of marijuana coming from him, and he also appeared lethargic. Nunemacher informed Strausberger that he believed him to be under the influence and asked if he had anything illegal on him.

Strausberger admitted to having weed on him, and attempted to go into his pockets to get it, which Nunemacher told him not to do. Strausberger again attempted to put his hands in his pockets, and at that point was detained.

Nunemacher found a small bag containing a crystal rock substance in Strausberger’s front right change pocket. When Nunemacher checked Strausberger’s backpack, he saw a cellophane wrapper with a green leafy substance, a sandwich bag with a green leafy substance; an Ice Drops container with a crystal rock in it; another zippered bag with a crystal rock substance; a marijuana grinder; a scale; a smoking pipe with a ball on the end; and a smoking pipe with marijuana residue.

The total crystal rock substance weighed 13.87 grams in bag weight, while the green leafy substance weighed 24.14 grams in bag weight. The substances were later tested and showed positive as methamphetamine and marijuana.

At the station, Strausberger admitted selling controlled substances to support his habit and for money because he was bouncing from place to place. Strausberger admitted the substances were crystal meth and marijuana.

President Judge Roger N. Nanovic accepted the pleas.

On the possession of a controlled substance count, Strausberger was sentenced to serve one to 12 months in the county prison and ordered to get both drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations. On the paraphernalia count he was placed on probation for a year consecutive to the first count.

He was also ordered to pay court costs of about $1,000 and pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole or probation.

He was given credit for 34 days already served and paroled.