Although at one time he could have had the charges against him dismissed, a Schuylkill Haven man instead will return to prison for a second time after having his parole revoked Monday in Schuylkill County Court.
Travis Lucas, 30, must remain in prison for at least 3 1/2 months, and could stay behind bars for 1 1/2 years, Judge Charles M. Miller ordered after revoking his parole.
“This is the second time you’ve been here,” Miller told Lucas, who admitted violating his parole by failing to report to his supervising officer, moving without permission, being charged with new crimes and not making payments on his costs and fines.
Lucas originally was admitted into the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program by Senior Judge D. Michael Stine on March 29, 2012, after being charged with stalking, harassment, driving under suspension and disregarding traffic lane. State police at Schuylkill Haven had charged him with committing those crimes on Aug. 2, 2011.
If Lucas had successfully completed the ARD program, charges against him would have been dismissed.
However, Stine removed him from the program on Sept. 28, 2012.
Lucas then pleaded guilty on Jan. 16, 2013, to stalking, driving under suspension and disregarding traffic lane. Prosecutors withdrew the charge of harassment.
At that time, Miller placed him on probation for 18 months, and also sentenced him to pay costs, $450 in fines and $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account, and to have no contact with the victim.
However, Miller revoked his probation on Aug. 19, 2013, and sentenced him to serve four to 23 months in prison.
Also in the county court, prosecutors withdrew charges against five defendants.
Brandy L. Knauss, 32, of Elizabethtown, had been charged with bad checks. Tamaqua police had charged her with committing that crime on Dec. 12, 2013, in the borough.
Shameka M. Rivera, 28, of Bellport, New York, had been charged with theft of leased property, conspiracy and receiving stolen property. Pottsville police had charged her with committing those crimes on May 1, 2014, in the city.
Janel L. Solarek, 21, of Hazleton, had been charged with simple assault and harassment. Coaldale police had charged her with committing those crimes on May 2, 2014, in the borough.
Ryan S. Winkler, 35, of Mount Carmel, had been charged with retail theft. Port Carbon police had charged him with committing the theft on March 8, 2012, in the borough.
In each case, President Judge William E. Baldwin signed an order allowing prosecutors to drop the charges and directing the defendant to pay the costs.
An Orwigsburg man is headed to state prison instead of to trial after admitting Friday in Schuylkill County Court that he assaulted and endangered three men in December 2013 in his hometown.
Christopher J. Johnston, 22, who was to have gone on trial Monday, instead pleaded guilty to three counts each of recklessly endangering another person and attempted simple assault and one of receiving stolen property.
Judge John E. Domalakes, who was to have presided over the trial, instead accepted the plea and, pursuant to an agreement between prosecutors and the defendant, sentenced Johnston to serve two to four years in a state correctional institution and pay costs, $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account, $2,034 restitution to the state police crime laboratory in Harrisburg and $218 restitution to the state police crime laboratory in Bethlehem.
Prosecutors withdrew three counts of aggravated assault and one each of possessing a weapon of mass destruction, prohibited possession of a an offensive weapon, possession of a prohibited offensive weapon and disorderly conduct.
Orwigsburg police charged Johnston with firing a .38 special revolver at the three men at 11:08 p.m. Dec. 17, 2013, at West Cherry and Harmon streets in the borough.
Police said Johnston fired the shot during a confrontation with the three men.
The gun had been stolen from a Pottsville woman, according to police.
Also on Friday, Joseph H. Sadusky, 46, of Pottsville, pleaded no contest to charges of aggravated assault and recklessly endangering another person, with prosecutors withdrawing a charge of simple assault.
Judge James P. Goodman accepted the plea and, pursuant to an agreement between prosecutors and the defendant, sentenced Sadusky to serve 18 to 36 months in a state correctional institution, pay costs and submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities.
Assistant District Attorney Robert I. Lipkin said the victim and the police agreed with the sentence.
Pottsville police alleged Sadusky assaulted Henry Black with a utility knife on Jan. 5, 2014.
By pleading no contest, Sadusky did not admit committing the crimes, but offered no defense to the charges, agreed prosecutors had sufficient evidence to prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and agree to be sentenced as if he had pleaded or been found guilty.
Instead of taking his case to trial, a Pottsville man admitted Thursday in Schuylkill County Court that he burglarized a city apartment in August 2013.
Ronald J. Schweikert, 54, pleaded guilty to burglary, theft, receiving stolen property, loitering and prowling at nighttime, and criminal mischief.
President Judge William E. Baldwin accepted Schweikert’s plea, ordered preparation of a presentence investigation and said he would schedule the defendant’s sentencing at a later date.
Pottsville police charged Schweikert with climbing to the second-floor balcony of 343 Nichols St. on Aug. 18, 2013, entering an apartment there and stealing several pieces of jewelry, prescription medicine and two silver dollars. Schweikert took the items to his residence and hid them in a drop ceiling in his bedroom, according to police.
The jewelry stolen included earrings, necklaces and rings and had a total value of approximately $2,500, police said.
Furthermore, Schweikert caused $710 in damage to a door while breaking into the Nichols Street apartment, according to police.
Also in the county court, a Minersville woman admitted Tuesday that she committed fraud against the commonwealth by accepting benefits she was not entitled to receive.
Desire M. Wyland, 29, pleaded guilty to public welfare fraud.
Judge James P. Goodman accepted her plea and sentenced her to spend 12 months on probation and pay costs, $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account and $1,180 restitution to the state.
Schuylkill County detectives charged Wyland with receiving the benefits on Jan. 31, 2013, in Pottsville.