Fifteen people received a second chance Thursday in Schuylkill County Court, as they entered a special program that will allow them to emerge from their encounters with the criminal justice system without a record.
The Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program allows people who enter it to have charges against them dismissed if they successfully complete it, Senior Judge D. Michael Stine said.
"I really implore you to use that opportunity wisely," Stine said.
Successful completion of the program includes payment of all costs and obedience of directives from the court and the county Office of Probation and Parole. Failure to complete the program successfully means a defendant's case will be returned to the trial list.
"It requires compliance on your end," Stine said.
In addition to payment of costs, all defendants admitted into the ARD program must pay $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account and perform community service.
Those admitted into the program, and the charges against them, included:
- Gabrielle Accordino, 22, of Auburn; possession of a controlled substance.
- Alexis Acosta, 18, of McAdoo; possession of a small amount of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
- Chad Benjamin, 33, of Mahanoy City; driving under the influence.
- Saphire K. Bohr, 19, of Pottsville; two counts of false reports to law enforcement and one of unsworn falsification to authorities.
- Tyler A. Brake, 21, of Pottsville; possession of a controlled substance.
- Jennifer L. Clark, 33, of Shenandoah; possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
- Cody J. Conway, 23, of Pottsville; DUI.
- George T. Geissinger, 64, of Tamaqua; public nuisance.
- Dillon M. Haller, 20, of Summit Station; prohibited possession of offensive weapon.
- Amanda M. Nagle, 26, of Elysburg; DUI.
- William Okronglis, 42, of Mount Carmel; two counts of selling or furnishing liquor to minors.
- Andrea Scintilla, 42, of McAdoo; forgery, access device fraud, identity theft, possession of altered access device, unsworn falsification to authorities and receiving stolen property.
- Brenda S. Shuman, 48, of Jonestown; seven counts each of theft by deception, theft and receiving stolen property, five of access device fraud and two of forgery.
- Beverly J. Sites, 52, of Auburn; two counts of possession of a controlled substance and one of possession of drug paraphernalia.
- Lewis S. Zimmerman, 60, of Valley View; DUI.
In order court action, a Hegins woman will spend more time on probation, but not in prison, after being sentenced Monday for trying to cheat on a drug test.
Amanda L. Strimboulis, 25, must serve 12 months on probation and pay costs, Judge John E. Domalakes ruled. Domalakes made the probation consecutive to the sentences Strimboulis already is serving.
"She seems to be struggling to overcome her drug problem," Domalakes said of the defendant.
Strimboulis pleaded guilty on Oct. 18 to improperly furnishing drug-free urine. Pottsville police had charged her with committing that crime on July 15 in the city.
Also in the county court, prosecutors have withdrawn charges against three defendants.
Raven Negron, 23, of Mahanoy City, had been charged Jan. 15 in the borough with theft by deception and conspiracy. Minersville police had charged her of the crimes.
Deborah A. Reedy, 59, of Pottsville, had been charged June 10 in Fountain Springs by Butler Township police with four counts of possession of red phosphorous and one each of possession with intent to manufacture a controlled substance, risking a catastrophe and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Henry J. Ryan III, 42, of Orwigsburg, had been charged March 13 by Orwigsburg police with 10 counts each of forgery, theft and access device fraud in the borough.
In each case, President Judge William E. Baldwin signed an order allowing prosecutors to withdraw the charges. In Negron's and Ryan's cases, Baldwin also ordered the defendant to pay the costs of the case, while in Reedy's case, he ordered the county to pay those costs.