James R. Ferrier
ORWIGSBURG - An East Norwegian Township man is headed to Schuylkill County Court after waiving his right to a preliminary hearing Tuesday on six drug-related charges.
Michael E. Sleva, 31, of 84 Caroline Ave., Pottsville, must defend against two counts of possession of a controlled substance and one each of conspiracy, criminal use of a communication facility, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a small amount of marijuana.
Magisterial District Judge James R. Ferrier bound over all charges for the county court after Sleva waived his right to the hearing.
State police at Reading charged Sleva with possessing methamphetamine, marijuana, pipes and straws between Oct. 21, 2011, and Dec. 1, 2011, in Port Carbon and East Norwegian Township.
Sleva is free on $10,000 unsecured bail pending further court action.
Other defendants whose cases Ferrier considered on Tuesday, the charges against each of them and the judge's dispositions of the matters included:
Gabrielle A. Accordino, 21, of 118 Red Church Road, Auburn; possession of a controlled substance; right to preliminary hearing waived, charge bound over for court.
Sabrina J. King, 35, of Rear 38 Rocky Road, Auburn; possession of a controlled substance; right to preliminary hearing waived, charge bound over for court.
William J. Murphy, 44, of 725 N. Third St., Pottsville; simple assault and harassment; right to preliminary hearing waived, charges bound over for court.
Nicholas R. Phillips, 22, of 119 Schuylkill Street, Cressona; possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia; charges held for court after preliminary hearing.
Zachary D. Shaw, 22, of 2125 Running Deer Drive, Lake Wynonah, Auburn; possession of a controlled substance; right to preliminary hearing waived, charge bound over for court.
Beverly J. Sites, 51, of 2267 Market St., Auburn; possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia; right to preliminary hearing waived, charges bound over for court.
George M. Stein, 63, of 189 Faith Drive, New Ringgold; driving under the influence and disregarding traffic lane; right to preliminary hearing waived, charges bound over for court.
David A. Plachko
PORT CARBON - A 30-year-old Saint Clair man charged with attacking a woman with scissors and threatening to kill her at his home on Jan. 29 appeared for a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko.
James Wolfe, 318 Cherry St. was arrested by Saint Clair Police Patrolman Martin Sterner and charged with aggravated assault, terroristic threats, simple assault and harassment.
Prosecutors withdrew the aggravated assault charge and Wolfe waived the remaining three offenses to Schuylkill County Court.
Sterner charged Wolfe with becoming involved in an argument with Chelsea Fleming, 20, during which he came after the woman with scissors and threatened to murder her.
Sterner said Wolfe then bounced the woman's head off of a wall and threw her onto the floor where he pushed on her chest hard enough to cause redness.
Other court cases included:
Jennifer L. Richardson, 37, of 329 W. Centre St., Shenandoah - waived for court: burglary, conspiracy, theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.
Brandon Snyder, 30, of 62 Heckman St., Box 107, Quakake - held for court: retail theft.
Jeffrey M. Dargis, 40, of 329 W. Centre St., Shenandoah - waived for court: burglary, retail theft, conspiracy, theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.
Michael C. Weicicoskie, 43, of 23 Middle St., New Philadelphia - withdrawn: simple assault and harassment.
Richard D. Neade, 48, of 107 S. Front St., Saint Clair - waived for court: DUI-controlled substance, improper tires, disregard for single traffic lane, driving at an unsafe speed and careless driving.
Brianna L. Gregas, 22, of 399 W. Main St., Girardville - held for court: theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.
Corrine L. Dietrich, 37, of 9 N. Fifth St., Minersville - waived for court: DUI, DUI-highest rate and driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked.
Allen R. Harig, 34, of 128 Broad St., Saint Clair - waived for court: DUI, DUI-highest rate, accidents involving damage to attended vehicles or property, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked, careless driving, failure to stop and give information and render aid and failure to use safety belts.
Joshua A. Mullins, 21, of 3 Scenic View Drive, Pine Grove - waived for court: theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.
Heather Ann Weicicoskie, 39, of 134 Water St., New Philadelphia - withdrawn: aggravated assault and simple assault. Waived for court: simple assault, harassment, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness.
Brenda Sue Shuman, 47, of 885 Thompson Ave., Jonestown - withdrawn: theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.
Joseph R. Holland, 31, of 100 N. George St., Apt. 2, Pottsville - waived for court: possession of drug paraphernalia.
Stephen J. Bayer
TAMAQUA - A 21-year-old Tamaqua man charged with putting other people in danger while smoking in bed while a patient at St. Luke's Miner's Memorial Hospital in Coaldale on Jan. 25 waived his right to a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Stephen J. Bayer.
Lukas Smith, 110 Market St., was arrested by Coaldale police Patrolman Scott Cramer and charged with risking a catastrophe, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, possession of a small amount of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, harassment and disorderly conduct.
By waiving his right to a hearing Smith will have to answer to all seven charges against him in Schuylkill County Court.
Cramer said that Smith was caught smoking in his hospital bed in close proximity to oxygen equipment despite being warned not to do so over a two day period.
When hospital security took away the man's cigarettes and lighter Smith became irate and started arguing with and yelling obscenities at security and hospital staff as well as hitting a nurse in the chest with a closed fist, the officer said.
Cramer said when a nurse went to get socks out of the man's bag for his feet she found suspected marijuana and a pill bottle prompting Smith to again become angry and leave the hospital against medical advice.
Cramer said the items confiscated from Smith's bag at the hospital included marijuana, a syringe, a spoon, a glass pipe and a pink strap used for injecting drugs.
Other court cases included:
William A. Frye, 42, of 26 W. Main St., Quakake - waived for court: theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, unsworn falsification to authorities and false reports.
Eugene D. Dacey, 37, of 239 W. Columbus St., Nesquehoning - held for court: DUI-high rate.
Daron F. Roberson, 26, of 620 St. John St., Allentown - waived for court: DUI, DUI-highest rate and disregard for single traffic lane.
Denna R. Leibowitz, 23, of 274 Third St., Coaldale - withdrawn: hindering apprehension or prosecution.
Robert J. Roman, 70, of 19 Zellner Road, Tamaqua - waived for court: DUI, DUI-high rate and operating or permitting operation of a vehicle with unsafe equipment.
Jeremy F. Lockwitch, 24, of 221 Church St., Barnesville - waived for court: theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.
Michael Barry, 54, of 57 Deer Trail Lane, Nesquehoning - withdrawn: careless driving, driving at an unsafe speed and restrictions on alcoholic beverages. Waived for court: DUI and DUI-highest rate.
Rachel Bales, 28, of 307 Owl Creek Road, Tamaqua - dismissed: simple assault and harassment.
Timothy M. Stahl, 41, of 324 E. Union St., Tamaqua - dismissed: simple assault and harassment.
Gary Lee Mitchell, 43, of 7 W. Phillips St., Coaldale - withdrawn: recklessly endangering another person.
Debra L. Hughes, 57, of 123 Lehigh St., Wilkes-Barre - held for court: retail theft, conspiracy and receiving stolen property.
Joseph M. Rayno Jr., 48, of 220 Entwistele St., Weatherly - waived for court: DUI, DUI-highest rate and careless driving.
Michelle Kondash, 28, of 510 E. Blaine St., McAdoo - waived for court: retail theft.
Jamie L. Lazur, 36, of 302 Tall Trees Drive, Scranton - waived for court: theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, receiving stolen property and retail theft.
Dana M. Lambides, 27, of 71 Blakeslee Blvd., Lehighton - waived for court: theft of leased property and receiving stolen property.
Robert D. Price, 36, of 205 N. Kennedy Drive, McAdoo - waived for court: statements under penalty and theft by deception.
Dawn Brozyno, 31, of 2 Camp Hill Lane, New Ringgold - dismissed: receiving stolen property and theft by deception.