MILFORD, PA — Pike County District Attorney Raymond J. Tonkin announced the following criminal sentences were issued by Pike County Court of Common Pleas President Judge Gregory Chelak:

James D. Gallagher, age 50, of Greeley, PA, was sentenced to 30 months to 84 months in a state correctional facility, fined $2,725 and had his driver’s license suspended for 24 months for the crimes of Accident Resulting in Injury, 3 counts of Terroristic Threats, Resisting Arrest, Driving Under the Influence and Driving Vehicle at Safe Speed.  On May 13, 2020, Gallagher was stopped by the state police for erratic driving along SR 390 in Lackawaxen Township.  When contact was made with Gallagher, the trooper detected the smell of an alcoholic beverage.  Field Sobriety Tests showed impairment and a breath test confirmed a blood alcohol content of .113%. On June 21, 2020, Gallagher threatened crimes of violence against an individual at a residence in Lackawaxen Township. While attempting to put Gallagher under arrest at the trooper barracks on June 21, 2020, Gallagher resisted, putting the troopers at risk of injury. On November 18, 2020, Gallagher was traveling at a high rate of speed along Route 6 in Dingman Township and was involved in an accident resulting in the injury of the occupant of the other vehicle.  Gallagher communicated threats of violence against an individual on November 21, 2020, at a residence in Lackawaxen Township.

Anthony Abreu, age 33, of Tafton, PA, was sentenced to 6 months to 23 ½ months in the Pike County Jail and fined $500 for the crime of Simple Assault.  The state police responded to a domestic situation at a residence in Blooming Grove Township on March 25, 2021, during which Abreau stabbed an individual in the leg with a knife.

Paul Joseph Balestriere, age 30, of Minneapolis, MN, was sentenced to 48 hours to 6 months in the Pike County Jail, followed by 6 months of probation, fined $1,300 and had his driver’s license suspended for 12 months for the crimes of Driving Under the Influence and Disorderly Conduct.  The state police responded to SR 507 in Palmyra Township where Balestriere crashed his vehicle on April 20, 2021. Balestriere exhibited signs of intoxication.  Field Sobriety Tests showed impairment and a breath test confirmed a blood alcohol content of .199%.  While his breath test was taking place at the state police barracks on April 20, 2021, Balestriere behaved in a tumultuous behavior and ignored verbal commands, resisting arrest by members of law enforcement.

David H. Nicholas, age 65, of Greeley, PA, was sentenced to 72 hours to 6 months in the Pike County Jail, fined $1,000 and had his driver’s licenses suspended for 12 months for the crime of Driving Under the Influence.  The state police responded to SR 590 in Lackawaxen Township on June 23, 2020, where Nicholas crashed his vehicle.  Upon speaking with Nicholas, the trooper detected the smell of an alcoholic beverage. Nicholas admitted to drinking prior to driving, and was observed to have slurred speech and difficulty remembering.  Field Sobriety Tests indicated impairment and a blood test confirmed a blood alcohol content of .224%.

Michael Walter Solicito, age 37, of Dingmans Ferry, PA, was sentenced to 2 years of probation and fined $300 for the crime of Resisting Arrest.  Solicito was stopped on August 20, 2020, for traveling along SR 739 and Milford Road in Delaware Township in an erratic manner.  Solicito created a risk of bodily injury to state police trying to effectuate his arrest.

Patrick S. Neville, age 47, of Bushkill, PA, was sentenced to 18 months of probation and fined $1,000 for the crimes of Simple Assault and Criminal Mischief.  During a domestic dispute at a residence in Lehman Township on May 27, 2020, Neville caused injury to an individual when he grabbed the individual and shoved her to the floor.  Neville caused $1,000 in damages to the individual’s vehicle by puncturing the tires with a nail. 

Jared Derrick Welch, age 34, of Hawley, PA, was sentenced to 16 months to 36 months in a state correctional facility and fined $1,000 for the crimes of Delivery of a Controlled Substance and Criminal Use of a Communication Facility.  Welch sold Heroin/Fentanyl to an undercover state police officer at Village Center Drive in Blooming Grove Township on January 19, 2021, through use of a cell phone.

John Jagger, age 35, of Dingmans Ferry, PA, was sentenced to 6 months of probation and fined $500 for the crime of Unsworn Falsification to Authorities.  Jagger provided written false information on an ATF Form during his attempt to purchase a firearm from a business in Milford Township on June 16, 2020.

Earl Thomas Babcock, age 42, of Dingmans Ferry, PA, was sentenced to 1 day to 6 months in the Pike County Jail and fined $500 for the crime of Simple Assault.  During a domestic dispute on August 22, 2021, at a residence in a community in Delaware Township, Babcock approached a member of Public Safety in a threatening manner and made comments regarding getting a gun.

Darryl A. McKeiver, age 39, of Scranton, PA, was sentenced to a fine of $700 and a driver’s license suspension for a duration to be determined by PennDOT, for the crime of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and the Summary Offense of Driving While Operating Privilege is Suspended or Revoked.  McKeiver was stopped by the state police for speeding along I-84 in Blooming Grove Township on March 12, 2021.  When questioned by the state police, McKeiver admitted to being in possession of a grinder.  McKeiver was also found to be driving with a suspended license. 

James Edward Conklin, age 38, of Milford, PA, was sentenced to 1 months to 6 months in the Pike County Jail, fined $1,000 and had his driver’s license suspended for 12 months for the crime of Driving Under the Influence.  Eastern Pike Regional Police responded to Pennsylvania Avenue in Matamoras where Conklin drove into the rear of a stopped vehicle on April 8, 2021.  The officer detected the smell of an alcoholic beverage and observed Conklin to have bloodshot eyes and an unsteady balance.  Conklin admitted to drinking prior to driving.  A breath test confirmed a blood alcohol content of .287%.

Scott David Frick, age 58, of Reading, PA, was sentenced to 16 months to 3 years in a state correctional facility and fined $500 for the crime of Theft.  Frick took $1,300 in U.S. currency from two individuals at a residence in Greene Township between March 29, 2021, and April 6, 2021, without the individuals’ permission.

Samantha Gayle Kelly, age 41, of Greentown, PA, was sentenced to 90 days to 5 years in the Pike County Correctional Facility, fined $1,800 and had her driver’s license suspended for 18 months for the crime of Driving Under the Influence.  The state police responded to SR 390 and Koemerville Road in Greene Township where Kelly had crashed her vehicle.  When speaking with Kelly, the trooper detected the smell of an alcoholic beverage, and observed her to have bloodshot eyes.  No Field Sobriety Tests were conducted due to her injuries.  A blood test confirmed the presence of methamphetamine and amphetamine in her blood.