A Luzerne County contractor must pay costs and fines after admitting Jan. 17, in Schuylkill County Court to committing two Vehicle Code violations in September in Saint Clair.
Minichi Contracting Group, Dupont, pleaded guilty to using an unlicensed driver and defective braking system, while prosecutors dropped a charge of improper tail lamps.
Judge Charles M. Miller accepted the plea and sentenced the company to pay costs and $700 in fines.
State police at Hamburg charged Minichi with using an unlicensed driver and a vehicle with defective brakes on Sept. 13, 2011, at Route 61 and Wade Road, Saint Clair.
Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko, Port Carbon, had found Minichi guilty of the violations on Oct. 18, but the company appealed the ruling on Nov. 16.
Also on Jan. 17, Miller dismissed a charge of purchase, consumption, possession or transportation of alcoholic beverages by a minor against Jared C. Whitecavage, 21, of Ringtown.
Butler Township police had charged Whitecavage with possessing alcohol about 1 a.m. Oct. 2, 2011, when the defendant was still 20 years old, at a party on Beaver Dam Road in the township.
"All the individuals took off and ran in different directions," Patrolman Anthony J. Galla testified on Tuesday about what occurred when police arrived at the party.
However, Galla also said he neither saw Whitecavage nor questioned him before filing the charge.
Ashland police Patrolman Theodore L. Buriak Jr. testified he saw Whitecavage in a vehicle that morning.
"I could smell alcoholic beverages coming from inside the vehicle," Buriak testified.
Senior Magisterial District Judge Elizabeth A. Romig, Frackville, had found Whitecavage guilty on Nov. 3, but the defendant appealed that ruling on Dec. 1.
In recent court action: A Luzerne County man admitted Wednesday in Schuylkill County Court that he stole a car last May in Shenandoah.
However, Francisco Alvarez, 18, of West Hazleton, will not have to go to prison after pleading guilty to theft and receiving stolen property.
Instead, Judge John E. Domalakes sentenced Alvarez, pursuant to a plea agreement between prosecutors and the defendant, to spend 12 months on probation and pay costs.
Shenandoah police charged Alvarez with taking the 2001 Mitsubishi on May 13 in the borough.
Other people who pleaded guilty before Domalakes, the crimes they admitted committing and the sentences the judge imposed pursuant to plea agreements included:
Louis M. DeAngeles, 50, of Auburn; driving under the influence and stop sign violation; 30 days to six months in prison, $1,025 in fines and a $100 payment to the Substance Abuse Education Fund, with sentence effective at 5 p.m. Feb. 8.
Nicholas S. Demyanovich, 49, of Tamaqua; fleeing or eluding police; 12 months probation and a $50 payment to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account.
Zachary I. Hess, 25, of Brockton; DUI; five days to six months in prison, $500 fine and $100 SAEF payment, with sentence effective at 9 a.m. Saturday.
Barbara A. Lehman, 56, of Conyngham; DUI and failure to drive on roadways laned for traffic; 50 days house arrest with electronic monitoring, 4 1/3 months probation, $775 in fines and $100 SAEF payment.
Michael J. O'Boyle Jr., 32, of Pottsville; DUI; 72 hours to six months in prison, $1,000 fine, $100 SAEF payment and $60 restitution to Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street. Prosecutors dropped a charge of stop sign violation.
Kasey L. Starr, 20, of Girardville; DUI, unlawful activities, terroristic threats, simple assault, harassment and receiving stolen property; 72 hours to six months in prison, 18 months probation, $1,025 in fines, $100 SAEF payment, $50 CJEA payment and $485 restitution.
Wendy L. Vachon, 44, of Coaldale; recklessly endangering another person; 12 months probation and $50 CJEA payment. Prosecutors dropped a charge of endangering the welfare of children.
William E. White Jr., 51, of Hazle Township; adulterated or misbranding of a controlled substance and driving improperly secured load; 12 months probation, $200 fine and $113 restitution to the state police crime laboratory in Bethlehem.
Richard G. Wolfe, 23, of Tamaqua; three counts of access device fraud and one each of theft and receiving stolen property; time served to 23 months in prison with immediate parole, $50 CJEA payment, $509 restitution and no contact with his victims.
William G. Wysoski, 37, of Frackville; DUI; 15 days house arrest with electronic monitoring, 5 1/2 months probation, $1,000 fine, $300 SAEF payment, $60 restitution to Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street and 10 hours community service. Prosecutors dropped a charge of violation of restrictions on alcoholic beverages.
In other recent county court action, Domalakes accepted guilty pleas from and imposed the indicated sentences on, the following defendants:
Christopher L. Buck, 26, of Ashland; two counts of criminal trespass and one each of theft, receiving stolen property, criminal mischief, possessing instruments of crime, loitering and prowling at nighttime, and theft from a motor vehicle; 70 days to 23 months in prison, 23 months probation, $50 CJEA payment and $1,839.59 restitution. Prosecutors dropped two counts each of conspiracy, burglary and criminal mischief and one of receiving stolen property.
Tanya M. Fichthorn, 31, of Pottsville; delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal use of a communication facility and possession of a controlled substance; nine to 23 months in prison, $100 SAEF payment, $50 CJEA payment and $113 restitution to the state police crime laboratory in Bethlehem.
Jaclyn M. Hollywood, 29, of Pottsville; fraudulent, altered, forged or counterfeit title, registration or insurance and fleeing or eluding police; 18 months probation and $50 CJEA payment. Prosecutors dropped two counts of stop sign violation and one each of driving under suspension, reckless driving and driving the wrong way.
Wade R. Hubler Jr., 35, of Aristes; two counts each of robbery, criminal trespass, theft and receiving stolen property and one each of aggravated assault and possessing instruments of crime; 66 to 136 months in a state correctional institution.
All defendants who were sentenced must pay costs as a part of their sentences.
On Jan. 17, a Pine Grove man must pay costs and a fine after a Schuylkill County judge on Monday dismissed his appeal of a conviction on a charge of harassment.
Kristofer A. Burger, 36, did not appear for his hearing before Miller, who promptly dismissed his appeal.
Miller reinstated Burger's conviction, which had been rendered on Oct. 5 by Magisterial District Judge Carol A. Pankake, Tremont, and the sentence of costs and a $100 fine.
Cass-Foster Township police had charged Burger with committing the harassment on June 15, 2011. Pankake then found Burger guilty on Oct. 5, but the defendant appealed her ruling on Nov. 4.
Also in the county court, a New Philadelphia man returned to prison on Jan. 18, after a judge revoked his parole.
Patrick J. Hill, 28, could stay in prison until Nov. 8, 2013, although Judge Jacqueline L. Russell made him eligible for parole immediately.
Hill originally pleaded guilty on July 20, 2011, to terroristic threats and criminal mischief. At that time, Russell sentenced him to six days to 23 months in prison and three years consecutive probation; she also continued those three years of consecutive probation as a result of Wednesday's hearing.
New Philadelphia police had charged Hill with committing those crimes on Oct. 29, 2010, in the borough.
Russell revoked Hill's parole after the defendant admitted violating its terms by smoking marijuana, failing drug tests and having contact with his victims.
All defendants who were sentenced must pay costs as a part of their sentences.