A Luzerne County man was sentenced to a prison term after his request for placement in the Carbon County house arrest program was denied.

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

Juan Florentino, 34, of Hazleton, previously entered guilty pleas to driving under the influence and recklessly endangering another person.

He was involved in an incident in Banks Township on Nov. 1, 2021, when his vehicle struck a state police cruiser. He also fled the scene and abandoned his vehicle but was caught following a short foot chase.

Florentino applied for placement in the Restrictive Conditions of Probation program (house arrest) but Nanovic denied the request.

Nanovic said Florentino was on house arrest in Luzerne County and gave probation officials a difficult time. He also denied the request stating the defendant had “no respect” for driving under suspension violations. He noted he had at least four other driving under suspensions convictions and his license was under suspension the day of the incident. He also noted he forced a trooper off the road and then ran from officers.

On the recklessly endangering count, Nanovic sentenced Florentino to serve three to one day less 24 months in prison.

On the DUI charge, he was sentenced to serve 30 days to six months, pay a fine of $1,000, license suspended for one year and zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use. The terms run concurrently.

He will begin serving the jail term on Nov. 11. Nanovic said he would give Florentino a month to arrange for his employment.

Other pleas

Michael William Beller, 53, of Stroudsburg, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia with a charge of possession of a controlled substance dropped in a plea deal with the district attorney’s office. He was arrested on June 29, 2018, by park rangers at Beltzville State Park in Franklin Township. Rangers were called to a disturbance involving a male and female. During the investigation Beller was padded down by officers and found in possession of illegal substances.

Nanovic sentenced him to time-served (30 days) to 12 months in prison and ordered he get a drug and alcohol evaluation and zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use.

Beller is an inmate in the Monroe County prison in Snydersville on other criminal charges.

Devin Ty Kehrli, 21, of Tamaqua, pleaded guilty to one count each of access device fraud and identity theft.

He was arrested by Nesquehoning police on April 19 for taking credit cards of a borough woman he was helping to move and then making numerous transactions with the cards. He was originally charged with 18 criminal counts.

Sentencing was deferred and Nanovic ordered the adult probation office to prepare a presentence investigation report.

Thomas F. St James Jr., 47, of Palmerton, pleaded guilty to one count of harassment, as a summary offense. In exchange for the plea a felony 1 count of robbery and two misdemeanor counts of theft and simple assault were dropped.

He was arrested by state police at Lehighton on Feb. 13. Troopers responded to a domestic incident report in the area of East Columbus Avenue in Nesquehoning. The female victim told officers that St James had taken cash from her and assaulted her. It was noted that the victim, who has a relationship with the defendant and children with him, agreed to the plea deal.

Nanovic sentenced him to serve 45 to 90 days in jail and ordered he get a drug and alcohol evaluation. He was given credit for 56 days already served and paroled.

David Costello, 39, of Lansford, pleaded to one count of DUI. He was arrested on June 14, 2021, by Mahoning Township police after being involved in a two-vehicle crash along Route 443.

Sentencing was deferred so Costello can apply for the house arrest program.

Fabian David Torres, 27, of Pleasantville, New Jersey, pleaded to one count of DUI. In exchange for the plea, a count of firearm not to be carried without a license was dropped.

He was arrested on March 12, 2021, following a vehicle stop by state police at Fern Ridge. He refused a test.

Found in the vehicle was a firearm, which Torres said belonged to his brother, who was a passenger. He claimed he did not know his brother had the weapon.

Nanovic sentenced him to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, pay a fine of $1,000, and license suspended for a year. He was given credit for four days already spent in jail on the charge and paroled.

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