Sixteen defendants in pending drug-related cases entered pleas before Judge Joseph J. Matika on Monday.

Drug sale

Michael Gerald Snyder

, 25, of Summit Hill, pleaded to one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

He was arrested by Summit Hill police and agents of the AG office after he sold drugs to a confidential informant. He used a cellphone to set up the sale. Sentencing was deferred.

Vehicle stop

Jahreese Markieth Strickland

, 22, of Philadelphia, pleaded to one count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. He was arrested following a traffic stop by state police at Fern Ridge along Interstate 80 westbound in East Side Borough.

Strickland was the driver and heroin was found in the vehicle.

Strickland is currently an inmate in the Lycoming County prison on other criminal charges.

Matika sentenced him to serve three to 18 months in the county prison and ordered he get a drug and alcohol evaluation, supply a DNA sample and render 75 hours of community service when paroled. He was given credit for 13 days spent in jail on the charges.

Other cases

Kelly Sue Smith

, 46, of Nesquehoning, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. She was arrested on July 14, 2018, by Nesquehoning police at the Dollar General Store on East Catawissa Street.

She is currently an inmate in the county prison on a probation violation petition and is facing other criminal charges.

Matika placed her on probation for a year, consecutive to a probation term she is serving in Lehigh County, and ordered her to get a drug and alcohol evaluation, stay out of the store and render 50 hours of community service when paroled.

Melinda Cavanaugh Miller

, 55, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count each of possession of a controlled substance — cocaine and driving under suspension.

She was arrested on Aug. 15, 2018, by state police at the Pocono barracks following a traffic stop along the turnpike in Kidder Township.

She is currently an inmate in the Montgomery County prison serving a term with four months remaining.

Matika placed her on probation for 18 months and ordered her to get both drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations and render 75 hours of community service when paroled. On the suspension charge she was fined $200.

Brooke Ellen Burke

, 25, of Drums, Luzerne County, pleaded to one count each of possession of drug paraphernalia and prohibitive offensive weapon. She was arrested on Oct. 13, 2018, by Weatherly police following a traffic stop along Plane Street. Found in the vehicle was meth and a firearm.

On the weapons count she was placed on probation for 18 months and one year probation on the other count, all running concurrently with a Luzerne County prison term she is now serving.

She was also ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and render 75 hours of community service when paroled.

Brett David Kerschner

, 23, of Roaring Brook, Lackawanna County, pleaded to one count of possession of a controlled substance. He was arrested on Sept. 17, 2015, by Lansford police at Bertsch and Springgarden streets. He was previously placed in the ARD program but was revoked for violating the terms.

He was placed on probation for six months, concurrent with a probation term he is serving in Lackawanna County, and ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and render 25 hours of community service.

Michael James Miller

, 49, of Lansford, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested on July 6, 2018, by Lansford police in the 400 block of West Bertsch Street.

He was placed on probation for a year, concurrent with another probation term he is serving, and ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and render 50 hours of community service.

Arthur Michael Rodweller

, 21, of Lansford, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested on Jan. 17, 2018, in the 100 block of West Bertsch Street by Lansford police.

In another case he pleaded to one count of simple assault for an incident on June 15, 2017, in the parking lot of the Turkey Hill Market along Patterson Street. In that case a charge of riot was dropped in a plea bargain.

Matika placed him on probation for a year on both counts, running concurrently, and ordered he get a drug and alcohol evaluation, render 50 hours of community service, make restitution of $234.44 in the assault case for injuries sustained by the victim and have no contact with the victim.

Shirley Mooney

, 62, of Lehighton, pleaded to one count each of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. In exchange for the plea the district attorney’s office dropped a felony count of contraband into the prison.

She was arrested by Nesquehoning police on June 22, 2017, when she was brought to the county prison on a bench warrant and found with a controlled substance on her person.

Matika placed her on probation for a year on each count, running concurrently, and ordered her to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and render 50 hours of community service.

Joseph A. Stepp

, 41, of Lansford, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested on Sept. 15, 2017, by Summit Hill police in the 100 block of West Hazard Street.

He also pleaded to one count of retail theft for an incident on Aug. 24, 2017, in a gas drive-off at the Miner’s Market in Summit Hill.

Matika placed him on probation for a year on each count, running concurrently, and ordered him to get both a drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations, render 50 hours of community service, make restitution to Miner’s Market for $54.15 and stay out of the store.

Kyle M. Bruno

, 20, of Summit Hill, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested on Oct. 12, 2018, by Summit Hill police along East Holland Street.

Matika placed him on probation for six months and ordered he render 25 hours of community service.

Claudette Wiley

, 41, of Lansford, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia for an incident on Sept. 15, 2017, in the 100 block of West Hazard Street, by Summit Hill police.

She also pleaded to one count of retail theft, as a felony, for an incident on Aug. 29, 2018, at the Miner’s Market in Summit Hill, a gas drive-off.

On the theft charge Matika placed her on probation for 18 months, and on the drug count, six months probation, with the terms running concurrently. She was also ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation, supply a DNA sample, render 50 hours of community service, make restitution of $54.86 to Miner’s Market and stay out of the store.

Peter P. Halada III

, 29, of Palmerton, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested on Sept. 21, 2018, in the 500 block of Mauch Chunk Road by Palmerton police.

He was placed on probation for six months and ordered to render 25 hours of community service.

Isaias Santiago Martinez

, 22, of Bethlehem, pleaded to one count of possession of marijuana. He was arrested on Sept. 13, 2018, by Palmerton police along Delaware Avenue.

He was fined $200 and costs.

Vernon Gold

, 35, of White Haven, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested on July 13, 2018, by state police at Fern Ridge following a vehicle stop in the 1400 block of South River Street in East Side Borough.

Matika imposed a fine of $200 and costs.

Ryan Paul Yanchura

, 24, of Nesquehoning, pleaded to one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested on May 17, 2018, by Nesquehoning police at his residence along Park Avenue.

Matika imposed a fine of $100 and costs. Yanchura is currently serving a state prison term on other charges.

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