Stephen J. Bayer
TAMAQUA - A McAdoo man arrested by Tamaqua police for a forged check incident on Feb. 1 at Boyer's Food Market had charges against him held to court during a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Stephen J. Bayer.
David N. Benitez, 30, of 70 S. Kennedy Drive, formerly of 100 Market St., Tamaqua, was arrested by Patrolman Karl Harig and charged with two felony counts of forgery and one misdemeanor count each of theft and receiving stolen property.
Bayer determined the commonwealth proved a prima facie case and ordered all four offenses held for Schuylkill County Court.
Harig said Benitez and Ryan Verbitsky had a stolen check owned by Beltzville Food and Concession, wrote the check out for $293.89, cashed the check and used the money to purchase groceries from the store valued at $81.90.
At the time of Benitez's arrest, Harig said Benitez was in Schuylkill County Prison on charges filed by Kline Township police for a similar incident in that jurisdiction.
Other court cases included:
John J. Roberts, 42, of 210 Bowe St., Tamaqua - withdrawn: fleeing or attempting to elude police and reckless driving. Waived for court: aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, simple assault, harassment, disorderly conduct, endangering the welfare of children, following too closely, disregard for single traffic lane, failure to keep right, driving at an unsafe speed and careless driving.
Jeremy T. Johnson, 22, of 619 South St., Freeland - withdrawn: aggravated assault. Waived for court: simple assault, harassment, disorderly conduct and conspiracy.
James Sokol, 44, of 355 Washington St., Freeland - waived for court: resisting arrest and defiant trespass.
Jenny Haydt, 22, of 13 E. Ruddle St., Coaldale - waived for court: recklessly endangering another person and endangering the welfare of children.
Gregory C. Sholtis, 58, of 617 S. Kennedy Drive, McAdoo - waived for court: DUI, duties at a stop sign and failure to yield at a yield sign.
Lisa Sholtis, 48, of 617 S. Kennedy Drive, McAdoo - withdrawn: disorderly conduct and chronic nuisance property. Waived for court: disorderly conduct.
James Sokol, 44, of 617 S. Kennedy Drive, McAdoo - waived for court: disorderly conduct and public drunkenness.
Michael Canavan, 19, of 646 North St., Hazleton - waived for court: DUI, DUI-minor, minors prohibited from operating a vehicle with alcohol in their system, no rear lights and purchase of alcohol by a minor.
Drew D. Labar, 25, of 219 Market St., 2nd Floor, Tamaqua - withdrawn: aggravated assault. Waived for court: criminal attempt to commit simple assault, disorderly conduct and criminal mischief.
Christopher E. Benjamin, 31, of 41 Lost Creek Road, Box 126, Lost Creek - waived for court: possession of a controlled substance, driving an unregistered vehicle, driving a vehicle without a valid inspection and fraudulent, altered, forged or counterfeit title, registration or insurance.
Ronald W. Musselman, 30, of 416 E. Union St., Apt. 2, Tamaqua - waived for court: retail theft, receiving stolen property and criminal mischief.
Robert W. Finley III, 24, of 165 W. Moser Ave., Coaldale - held for court: simple assault and harassment.
Joel D. Demelfi, 20, of 323 Alvin St., Freeland - waived for court: aggravated assault, conspiracy, simple assault, disorderly conduct and harassment.
Victor B. Craig, 37, of 107 S. Sheridan St., McAdoo - held for court: fleeing or attempting to elude police, driving with a suspended or revoked license, failure to notify of change of address, failure to dispense red flag clothing on a load, obscured plates, having a suspicious, factious or altered driver's license, improper fastening of a load and operating or giving permission to operate a vehicle with unsafe equipment.
Jason J. Shiffert, 33, of 9 E. Ruddle St., Coaldale - waived for court: possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance, possession of liquefied ammonia with intent to manufacture a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, possession of red phosphorus with intent to manufacture a controlled substance and operating a methamphetamine lab.
Crystal M. Dorward, 50, of 222 Soxth St., Lehighton - waived for court: DUI and DUI-highest rate.
Richard Kerbis, 22, of 62 Glenwood Terrace, Fords, N.J.- waived for court: DUI-controlled substance, driving the wrong way and turning movements and required signals.
Robert R. Zivny, 26, of 13 Oak Drive, Box 404, Mountaintop - withdrawn: retail theft and receiving stolen property. Waived for court: possession of drug paraphernalia.
Ann Marie Tracy, 41, of 648 Arlington St., Tamaqua - waived for court: DUI, vehicles turning left and turning movements and required signals.
Jeanette L. Hadesty, 33, of 31 S. 10th St., Mahanoy City - withdrawn: possession of a controlled substance and placing or marking a controlled substance with intent to defraud.
Tonya Napolitano, 30, of 312 Lafayette St., Tamaqua - held for court: theft and receiving stolen property.
Shannon H. Fredericks, 33, of 307 1/2 W. Spruce St., Tamaqua - waived for court: retail theft and receiving stolen property.
Larson H. Velez, 23, of 832 Seybert St., Hazleton - withdrawn: burglary, criminal trespass and harassment. Moved to a nontraffic citation: disorderly conduct.
Shawn Kennedy, 41, of 467 Green Tree Drive, Auburn - withdrawn: driving a vehicle without insurance and fraudulent, altered, forged or counterfeit title, registration or insurance. Moved to a traffic citation: no rear lights.
Emmanuel Martinez, 20, of 533 E. Broad St., Hazleton - waived for court: DUI-controlled substance and no rear lights.
David A. Plachko
PORT CARBON - A Minersville man facing a host of charges stemming from an April 15 incident that began in front of Smokin' Joes at King's Village Shopping Center had charges against him held for court during a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko.
Scott Lee Mace, 38, of 2 Sunbury St., Apt. 4B, was arrested by state police Trooper William Luckenbill of the Schuylkill Haven station and charged with robbery, aggravated assault, theft, receiving stolen property, DUI, DUI-controlled substance, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, resisting arrest, fleeing or attempting to elude police, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked, unsafe passing on the left and careless driving.
Plachko determined the commonwealth proved a prima facie case and ordered all charges against Mace held for Schuylkill County Court.
Luckenbill charged Mace with dragging Bruce E. Rutecky from his 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 truck, stealing the man's truck and dragging him for a short distance. Mace then tried to flee police who were trying to stop him near Highridge Park Boulevard and Keystone Boulevard in Cass Township but was subsequently stopped, at which time he resisted arrest and had to be physically subdued.
After being taken into custody and read his rights, Luckenbill said Mace admitted stealing the truck and said he had been taking bath salts earlier and had been drinking beer. He also admitted taking methamphetamine but could not remember if it was that day or the day before, the trooper said.
Other court cases included:
Bonnie Klinger, 47, of 213 Laurel St., Apt. B, Minersville - withdrawn: aggravated assault and disorderly conduct. Charges were reduced to summary disorderly conduct.
James F. Stank, 46, of 311 Fifth St., Port Carbon - waived for court: DUI, DUI-highest rate, driving an unregistered vehicle, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked and careless driving.
Barbara W. Lee Depuy, 37, of 37 Sand St., Pittston - waived for court: retail theft.
Jeffrey T. Leinheiser, 23, of Schuylkill County Prison, Pottsville - waived for court: burglary, theft, possession of a small amount of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, loitering and prowling at night and criminal mischief.
Ernest L. Graham Jr., 50, of 908 W. Norwegian St., Apt. 3, Pottsville - waived for court: statement under penalty, unsworn falsification to authorities and materially false written statements for purchase, delivery or transfer of a firearm.
Jessica-Lyn Alyssa Hein, 20, of 501 Nichols St., Pottsville - waived for court: theft.
Scott A. Wise, 36, of 15 Fern Road, Pottsville - waived for court: simple assault, harassment and firearms not to be carried without a license.
Michael A. Eckert, 22, of 201 N. Fourth St., Minersville - waived for court: possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance.