A Lehigh County man was sentenced to a county prison term in Carbon County court on Friday on a drug-dealing charge.

He was one of five defendants who previously pleaded guilty to criminal counts to be sentenced by President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II.

Traffic stop

Jacob William Eckley

, 25, of Effort, was sentenced to serve six to 18 months in prison followed by one year of probation on a charge of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. He also pleaded to driving under the influence, and driving while under suspension — DUI related. On the DUI count he was sentenced to serve 90 days to 60 months in prison, a fine of $1,500 and one year license suspension. On the suspension count he was sentenced to serve 90 days in jail and pay a fine of $500. The jail terms all run concurrently.

He was arrested following a traffic stop by Franklin Township police on Sept. 15, 2017, along Interchange Road. A large amount of marijuana was found in the vehicle. The police report indicated that Eckley told officers he had purchased a pound of marijuana for $3,500 sometime before the stop and had smoked some. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.

Eckley told the court, “At the time I was doing a lot of dumb things.”

Nanovic also ordered Eckley to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment and supply a DNA sample.

He was given credit for 90 days already served and will begin his jail term on Sept. 27 at 6 p.m. and serve it on consecutive weekends.

State time

James Rodney Schwoyer

, 47, of Allentown, was sentenced to a state prison term on charges of driving under the influence and possession of a prohibitive offensive weapon.

Because of an extensive prior criminal record, he was sentenced to serve 15 to 60 months in a state correctional institution on both counts, with the terms running concurrently.

He was arrested on March 2, 2018, by Mahoning Township police along Mauch Chunk Street after being involved in a two-vehicle crash. He refused a test. He was originally charged with 10 counts. A 40-caliber handgun, which he was not allow to have, was found in the vehicle.

He was also ordered to get both drug and alcohol and mental health evaluations.

He was given credit for two days served and began the prison immediately.

Other cases

Jonathan Strohl

, 30, of Lehighton, was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail on a DUI count, pay a fine of $1,000 and his license was suspended for a year. On a second DUI count he was sentenced to serve 90 days to 60 months in prison, a fine of $1,500 and a license suspension of 18 months. The jail terms run concurrently.

He was arrested on May 27, 2017, by Lehighton police along Route 209. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance. He was arrested on the second count on Feb. 23, 2016, by state police at Lehighton. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.

He was given credit for three days already spent in jail. He will begin the jail term on Oct. 2 at 1 p.m. and serve it on consecutive two-day periods of Wednesday to Friday.

Jody W. Buchman

, 38, of Easton, was sentenced to serve 72 hours to six months in jail, pay a fine of $1,000 and one-year license suspension. She was given credit for 16 days already served and paroled.

She was arrested on Oct. 18, 2016, by state police at Lehighton along Interchange Road (Route 209), in Towamensing Township. A test revealed the presence of a controlled substance.

James Carter

, 25, of Bowmansville, Lancaster County, was placed on probation for a year on charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was arrested on the controlled substance charge on April 12, 2017, by Lehighton police following a vehicle stop. He was a passenger in the vehicle and heroin was found. The paraphernalia charge was for an incident on March 24, 2018, filed by Lansford police for a vehicle stop along Patterson Street. Heroin was also found.

He was also ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation.

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