Three defendants opted to have their cases heard during preliminary hearings scheduled before District Magisterial Judge Stephen Bayer, of Tamaqua, on April 18.

Joseph Leo Preli, 35, of Hazleton, was in court to answer to charges of forgery, theft by deception, receiving stolen property, criminal attempt theft by deception and criminal attempt receiving stolen property. The charges were filed by Tamaqua patrolman Anthony Stanell in connection with a Jan. 13 case.All of the charges were bound over for trial in the Schuylkill County court.Preli was released on $50,000 percentage bail.Christopher Eli Blevins, 50, ofOrwigsburg Street, Tamaqua, was charged with simple assault and harassment by Tamaqua Patrolman Timothy Walsh. The charges stem from a March 20 case and were both held over for court.Blevins remains in the Schuylkill County prison, Pottsville, in lieu of $10,000 percentage bail.Gregory J. Ney, 36, of Orwigsburg, had charges of aggravated and simple assault, reckless endangerment, and criminal mischief all held for court. The charges were filed by Tamaqua patrolman Christian Deangelo in connection with a Feb. 16 case.Ney was released on $25,000 unsecured bail.There were several other cases scheduled for April 18, with the defendants waiving their rights to preliminary hearings.Michael Allen Yates, 34, ofNorth Kennedy Drive, McAdoo, was charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, sexual assault, corruption of minors, indecent assault and indecent exposure. The charges were filed by McAdoo patrolman Frederick Lahovski in connection with a January 2014 case.Yates remains in the Schuylkill County prison in lieu of $250,000 bail.Lawrence E. Fredericks Jr., 53, of Tamaqua, faces charges of simple assault, reckless endangerment and harassment. The charges were filed by Tamaqua patrolman Timothy Walsh on March 7.Fredericks was released after posting $2,500 percentage bond.Arthur A. Marrin, 26, of Berwick, was charged with aggravated and simple assault, reckless endangerment and harassment by Tamaqua patrolman Deangelo on Feb. 22. The aggravated assault charge was withdrawn.Bail was originally set at $40,000 straight, but was modified to unsecured at his preliminary hearing.Shawn Christy, 25, of McAdoo, faces trial on charges of aggravated assault (four counts), simple assault, making terroristic threats and harassment. The charges were filed by McAdoo patrolman Lahovski on March 15.Bail was originally set at $50,000 straight, but was modified to unsecured at the preliminary hearing.Three defendants had charges against them withdrawn, including:Erik M. Sabol, 34, of Lansford, who was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and driving with a suspended license;Jose Contes, 27, of McAdoo, charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and driving with a suspended license; andDane Keith Lowell, 19, of Tamaqua, charged with possession of a controlled substance.