Twenty-three people received a second chance from the criminal justice system Thursday in Schuylkill County Court, as they entered a special program that could enable them to have their records erased.
The Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program allows people charged for the first time with committing a crime to have their cases handled without a trial, Senior Judge D. Michael Stine told the 23.
"You're not being found guilty ... you're also not being acquitted," Stine said.
Instead, if they comply with directives from the court and the county Adult Probation and Parole Department, and pay all required costs, they can have the charges against them dismissed and petition the court to have their record expunged, Stine said.
"It's a great opportunity," he said.
Those in the program also must pay $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account and perform community service.
However, anyone who does not complete the program successfully can be removed from the program and have their case put back on the trial list, according to Stine.
"I urge you, don't take that path," he said.
Stine admitted these 23 people, who were charged with the indicated offenses, into the ARD program:
Rose M. Adamitis, 19, of Mahanoy City; theft and receiving stolen property. Adamitis also must pay $2,565 restitution.
Joseph O. Bleich, 58, of Milton; driving under the influence.
William J. Boyd, 35, of Donaldson; possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Boyd also must pay $239 restitution to the state police crime laboratory in Bethlehem.
Bonnie J. Brown, 49, of Reading; two counts each of theft, receiving stolen property and access device fraud. Brown also must pay $7,406 restitution.
Matthew J. Cadau, 22, of Frackville; DUI and possession of a small amount of marijuana.
Alejandro M. Coronado, 40, of Mahanoy City; DUI.
Justin E. Englehart, 29, of Pottsville; criminal mischief. Englehart also must pay $1,548.19 restitution.
Gretchen E. Garrity, 37, of Pottsville; possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Garrity also must pay $239 restitution to the state police crime laboratory in Bethlehem.
Leroy P. Guldin, 47, of Port Carbon; simple assault and disorderly conduct.
Martin M. Guris Jr., 21, of Pottsville; four counts of access device fraud and one of theft.
Eric C. Hummel, 27, of Pottsville; possession of drug paraphernalia.
David M. Kondash, 22, of Hazleton; selling noncontrolled substance represented to be a controlled substance. Kondash also must pay $113 restitution to the state police crime laboratory in Bethlehem.
Denise J. Krammes, 54, of Tremont; DUI. Krammes also must pay $598.64 restitution.
Cody Lerch, 22, of Ashland; possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Kimberly A. Minor, 29, of Pottsville; retail theft.
Sharon M. Mullin, 48, of Pottsville; theft and theft by deception. Prosecutors withdrew a charge of conspiracy.
Richard Orsulak, 45, of Summit Hill; fraudulent or altered documents and obtaining certificate of inspection without valid proof of insurance.
Bernard D. Price, 49, of Creston, Ohio; accident involving damage to attended vehicle or property.
Leah M. Rehal, 21, of Hazleton; possession of drug paraphernalia.
Patrick M. Reynolds, 47, of Branchdale; terroristic threats and simple assault.
Juan C. Rivera, 48, of Reading; DUI and terroristic threats.
Josita A. Steward, 57, of Mahanoy City; DUI.
Helen M. Swett, 47, of Harrisburg; DUI.
In other county court news, a Minersville man is headed to state prison after entering pleas Wednesday in two cases.
John T. Stiles III, 26, pleaded guilty in one case to theft and simple assault and no contest in the second case to receiving stolen property.
Prosecutors withdrew two counts of robbery and one each of aggravated assault, conspiracy, receiving stolen property and harassment in the first case and a charge of improper operation on streets and highways in the second case.
Judge James P. Goodman accepted both pleas and sentenced Stiles to serve nine to 24 months in a state correctional institution, pay costs and $649 restitution, and submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities.
"There are victims that suffer as the result of these crimes," Goodman told Stiles.
State police at Frackville filed the charges in the first case, alleging Stiles assaulted and stole a wallet from Kirk Lagasse on Oct. 21, 2012. First Assistant District Attorney Maria T. Casey said Lagasse, who was in the courtroom, agreed with the plea in that case.
State police at Schuylkill Haven alleged in the second case that Stiles possessed a stolen all-terrain vehicle on Nov. 23, 2013.
In that case, by pleading no contest, Stiles did not admit committing the crime, but offered no defense to it, agreed prosecutors could produce sufficient evidence to prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and agreed to be sentenced as if he had pleaded or been found guilty.
Also on Wednesday, Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin revoked the parole of Thomas J. Petrousky, 53, of Frackville, and ordered him returned to prison, where he could remain until Nov. 8.
Petrousky, who admitted violating his parole, pleaded guilty on Oct. 16, 2013, to driving under the influence, with prosecutors withdrawing a charge of disregarding traffic lane. At that time, Dolbin sentenced him to serve 72 hours to six months in prison and pay costs, a $1,000 fine, $100 to the Substance Abuse Education Fund, $50 to the CJEA and $60 restitution to Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street.
Butler Township police alleged Petrousky was DUI on May 28, 2012, in the township.
Also in the county court, Rachel A. Rogers, 34, of Andreas, pleaded guilty on May 7 to DUI, with prosecutors withdrawing a charge of careless driving.
Dolbin accepted Rogers' plea and sentenced her to serve 48 hours to six months in prison with immediate parole and pay costs, a $500 fine, a $100 SAEF payment, a $50 CJEA payment, $50 bench warrant fee and $60 restitution to Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street.
State police at Frackville had charged Rogers with DUI on Dec. 10, 2011.
President Judge William E. Baldwin had issued a bench warrant for Rogers on March 10 due to her failure to appear on Jan. 24 for a pre-trial conference.
Judge John E. Domalakes had admitted Rogers into the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program on July 26, 2012, but removed her from it on Aug. 6, 2013. If Rogers had successfully completed that program, the charge against her would have been dismissed and she could have had her record expunged.
In other recent county court action, Goodman accepted guilty pleas from, and, pursuant to agreements between prosecutors and defendants, imposed the indicated sentences on, these people:
Dominic F. Borelli, 21, of Pottsville; delivery of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia; 12 to 24 months in a state correctional institution, $100 SAEF payment and submission of a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities. Prosecutors withdrew a charge of criminal use of a communication facility.
Brian L. Breiner, 47, of Jim Thorpe; harassment; $300 fine. Prosecutors withdrew charges of simple assault and criminal mischief.
Lori Ann Brobst, 50, of Valley View; disorderly conduct; $150 fine. Prosecutors withdrew a second count of disorderly conduct.
Andrew C. Cecil, 21, of Pottsville; burglary and conspiracy; 12 to 24 months in a state correctional institution, $50 CJEA payment and submission of a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities. Prosecutors withdrew charges of theft and receiving stolen property.
All defendants who were sentenced must pay costs part of their sentences.