Carmen T. Almonti is headed to state prison after admitting Wednesday in Schuylkill County Court that at different times he assaulted a police officer, possessed heroin and drove under the influence of drugs.
Almonti, 31, of Kulpmont, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in one case, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in a second and driving under the influence and driving under suspension in a third.
Judge Jacqueline L. Russell accepted Almonti's plea and, pursuant to an agreement between prosecutors and the defendant, sentenced him to serve two to five years in a state correctional institution.
Russell also sentenced Almonti to pay costs, $1,700 in fines, $200 to the Substance Abuse Education Fund, $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account, $113 restitution to the state police crime laboratory in Bethlehem and $460 restitution to Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street, perform 60 hours community service and submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities. She made the sentence effective at 9 a.m. Aug. 2.
Prosecutors withdrew charges of simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, resisting arrest, harassment, criminal use of a communication facility, possession of a controlled substance and improper turning movements.
Almonti said little during the hearing except to indicate that he understood his plea and was entering it knowingly and voluntarily.
State police at Frackville charged Almonti with assaulting Girardville police Officer Melville Tomeo about 1:45 a.m. Jan. 31 outside what was then his residence in Girardville.
Police said Nicole Ervolino complained to them that Almonti had assaulted her at his then-residence. When Tomeo went to investigate, Almonti hit him in the head, according to police.
Police said Almonti continued to assault Tomeo, who had to use his Taser on Almonti. However, Almonti did not stop his aggressive behavior, eventually resulting in Tomeo shooting him twice, police said.
After being Tased again, Almonti was taken to Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, for treatment.
Pottsville police filed the other two sets of charges against Almonti.
In the first case, they alleged Almonti possessed a salable quantity of heroin on July 11, 2013, in the city.
In the second, they alleged Almonti was DUI with a suspended license on Sept. 1, 2013, also in the city. Almonti was under the influence of drugs while he was driving, police said.