A Carbon County man admitted threatening and assaulting his wife on Monday in the county court.

He was one of five defendants in pending criminal cases to enter a guilty plea before Judge Joseph J. Matika.

Mahoning incident

Joshua David Bierman

, 35, of Lehighton, pleaded guilty to one count each of terroristic threats and simple assault.

He was charged for an incident on Oct. 7 at his then residence along Lower Nis Hollow Drive in Mahoning Township. Township police responded to the home to a report of threats and an assault.

On scene, Bierman’s wife said he had threatened her and also assaulted her. His wife has also secured a protection from abuse order against him which runs for two years.

Bierman, who has been in the county prison since the incident, told Matika that he had been battling a drug addiction problem and was drug free for a period of time but relapsed about a week before the incident. His wife, he said, is seeking a divorce.

On the two counts, Matika sentenced him to serve two to 23 months in prison, with the terms running concurrently. He was given credit for 65 days already served and paroled.

He was also ordered to get both drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations and follow any recommendations for treatment, zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use, render 75 hours of community service and have no contact with his estranged wife.

Other pleas

Andrew Paul Lantosh III

, 34, of Slatington, pleaded in two pending cases.

He pleaded to two counts of criminal trespass, both felonies, and one count of driving under suspension, DUI related.

In both cases he admitted entering a property located in the 500 block of Forest Inn Road in Towamensing Township. The entries occurred on July 12 and 14, 2017.

Lantosh is currently an inmate in the county prison and has pending criminal charges in Lehigh County.

Sentencing was deferred.

Makenzie L. Lashefsky

, 20, of Bethlehem, and formerly of Palmerton, pleaded to one count of theft by deception.

She admitted her part in forging a check of a Weatherly woman for $13,000 and attempting to cash it at a local bank. The attempt failed and she was arrested by borough police.

Matika placed her on probation for a year and ordered her to render 50 hours of community service and have no contact with the woman, who she identified as a grandmother.

Aaron Yanchura

, 22, of Nesquehoning, pleaded to one count of harassment, as a summary offense, with a charge of simple assault dropped in a plea bargain with the district attorney’s office.

He was charged for an incident on March 28 at his Park Avenue residence with his mother the listed victim.

Matika imposed a fine of $100 and costs.

Michael David Brazier

, 43, of Tamaqua, formerly of Lansford, pleaded to one count each of harassment and public drunkenness, both summaries, with a simple assault count dropped in a plea bargain.

He was charged for an incident on Sept. 5 in the 700 block of East Ridge Street by Lansford police. Police responded to a reported domestic incident involving Brazier and a female.

Matika sentenced him to serve 15 to 30 days on the harassment count and 15 to 33 days on the drunkenness count with the terms running concurrently. He was given credit for 33 days spent in jail on the charges and paroled.

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