District courts, June 16, 2021

Jun. 16—Anthony J. Kilker

SHENANDOAH — A Pottsville man arrested by Shenandoah police on drug charges after an incident on March 24 appeared for a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker.

Cody Lee Harris, 29, of 127 Saint Clair Ave., was arrested by Police Chief George Carado and charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Prosecutors withdrew one count of possession of a controlled substance and Harris waived the remaining two charges to Schuylkill County Court, where he can now plead guilty or enter a not guilty plea and request a trial.

Carado charged Harris with an incident at 605 W. Penn St., where he left the area and his vehicle subsequently stopped. During the stop, Carado said, Harris was found with fentanyl inside the vehicle and a subsequent investigation determined he had an active arrest warrant on him from neighboring Dauphin County.

After being taken into custody, Carado said, Harris had a pack of cigarettes that contained an amount of methamphetamine inside aluminum foil.

Other court cases included:

Matthew Hower, 49, of 10 St. Ann St., Barnesville; held for court: DUI-controlled substance, operating a vehicle without a valid inspection, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked and failure to use safety belts.

Philip M. Alcaraz, 73, of 150 W. Ogden St., Girardville; waived for court: DUI, DUI-high rate, turning movements and required signals and no rear lights.

Tessa Ann Collins, 20, of 22 E. Lloyd St., Shenandoah; withdrawn: bad checks.

Matthew Lee Ketchledge, 35, of 201 Clay St., Box 593, Tamaqua; guilty plea entered: possession of drug paraphernalia.

Joseph T. Pecika, 63, of 340 Roosevelt Drive, Mahanoy City; held for court: driving with a suspended or revoked license, driving without a license and driving a vehicle without a valid inspection.

Thomas H. Xavios

FRACKVILLE — An inmate at SCI/Frackville charged with assaulting a corrections officer and nurse at the jail on July 2, 2020, had charges against him held to court during a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Thomas H. Xavios.

James Capron Ha Bradley, 25, was arrested by state police Trooper Andrew Letcavage of the Frackville station and charged with four felony counts of aggravated harassment by prisoner and a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct.

Xavios ruled prosecutors presented enough evidence to substantiate their case and ordered all five charges to Schuylkill County Court, where Bradley can plead guilty or plead not guilty and request a trial.

Letcavage said Corrections Officer Joseph Gornal and registered nurse Michelle Delpais were passing out medications in the restricted housing unit passing the cell of Bradley who sprayed an unknown substance from a toothpaste container at them. Letcavage said Gornal was struck on the left side of his face and his chest and torso while Delpais was hit on the back of her shirt and her pants and shoes.

The toothpaste container was sent to the state police laboratory in Bethlehem where testing confirmed it contained urine, Letcavage said.

Other court cases included:

Tiffany Ann Yunevage, 39, of 47 Trailer Road, Ringtown; held for court: possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Brandon J. Bond, 29, of 1319 E. Mahanoy Ave., Mahanoy City; held for court: possession of a controlled substance, possession of a small amount of marijuana and driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked.

Charles A. Lindenmuth, 67, of 12 S. Broad Mountain Ave., Frackville; waived for court: DUI-controlled substance, disregard for single traffic lane, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Josue Martinez, 20, of Box 96, Tamaqua; withdrawn: possession of a small amount of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

David J. Hower, 31, of 22 S. Broad Mountain Ave., Frackville; held for court: DUI-controlled substance, careless driving, no headlights and failure to keep right.

Joshua C. Acker, 44, of 801 Main St., Zion Grove; dismissed: simple assault and harassment.

Mellany Ann Knobl, 47, of 3919 N. Front St., Harrisburg; held for court: disorderly conduct, public drunkenness, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Dennis T. Cooney, 45, of 1115 W. Centre St., Shenandoah; waived for court: disorderly conduct and criminal mischief.

Anthony Yadiel Laboy, 23, of 237 E. Coal St., Apt. C, Shenandoah; waived for court: DUI-controlled substance, driving an unregistered vehicle, driving without insurance and careless driving.

John Jay R. Jeffries, 62, of 7 Hotel Lane, Barnesville; waived for court: DUI, DUI-highest rate and accidents involving damage to attended vehicles or property.

Erica G. Shingara, 32, of 1711 Sunshine Road, Shamokin; held for court: unsworn falsification to authorities, statements under penalty and materially false written statements for the purchase, delivery or transfer of a firearm.

Mary A. Conte, 39, of 1118 Watson St., Scranton; waived for court: firearms not to be carried without a license and driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked.

Christopher M. Brown, 39, of 32 S. Mahanoy Ave., Frackville; dismissed: burglary, criminal trespass, criminal mischief and harassment.

Tammy Labota, 44, of 212 E. Main St., Apt. 3, Schuylkill Haven; held for court: criminal mischief and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

Harold J. Fowler, 46, of 514 W. Spring St., Frackville; waived for court: retail theft and criminal attempt to commit retail theft.

Michael A. Badamo, 21, of 41 Fairway Lane, Sugarloaf; waived for court: DUI, purchase of alcohol by a minor, disregard for single traffic lane and careless driving.

Kelly A. Barnes, 53, of 1328 Market St., Ashland; waived for court: false reports.

Robert F. Moncrief Jr., 26, of 36 S. Wylam St., Frackville; waived for court: DUI-controlled substance and operating a vehicle without a valid inspection.

Kathryn G. Wasser, 42, of 105 Park Place Circle, Womelsdorf; withdrawn: terroristic threats and harassment.

Jose A. Williams, 56, of SCI/Frackville, Frackville; waived for court: aggravated harassment by prisoner and disorderly conduct.

David A. Plachko

PORT CARBON — A 25-year-old man arrested by Saint Clair police for an alleged assault on a pregnant girlfriend on April 22 waived his right to a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko.

Nathias D. Vengen II, of 210 N. Second St., Apt. 1, was arrested by Patrolman Brad Blanner and charged with two counts of simple assault and one count of harassment.

By waiving his right to a hearing, Vengen will now have to answer to all three charges in Schuylkill County Court, where he can plead guilty or enter a not guilty plea and request a trial.

Blanner said he was called to the couple's home around 1:35 p.m. for a report of an assault and told by the victim, Morgan Kollars, that Vengen punched her in the face during an argument.

Blanner said Kollars suffered red marks on her face and swelling around her left eye and also complained of pain in her abdomen relating to her pregnancy. The officer also said that when Vengen was interviewed, he admitted to hitting the woman with an open palm.

Other court cases included:

Haley N. Meyer, 21, of 9 S. Morris St., Saint Clair; waived for court: resisting arrest.

Brenda L. Setlock, 56, LKA 33 Front St., Floor 2, Cresson; waived for court: possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Kori Lynn Meyer, 20, of 41 N. Lehigh Ave., Apt. B, Frackville; waived for court: DUI, DUI-minor, driving without a license, disregard for single traffic lane and failure to use safety belts.

Jai Green, 29, of 259 Chestnut St., Apt. 1, Pottstown; waived for court: DUI-controlled substance, disregard for single traffic lane and no rear lights.

(Staff writer Frank Andruscavage compiled this report)