Pike County District Attorney Press Release

In the Pike Courts — Apr 24

Posted 5/2/23

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:

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Pike County District Attorney Press Release

In the Pike Courts — Apr 24

Posted

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:

Karen Joan Murphy, age 74, of Bushkill, PA, was sentenced to 6 months of the Pike Care Probation with Restrictive Conditions Program which will include 30 days of house arrest, a fine of $1,000 and a driver’s license suspension of 12 months for the crime of Driving Under the Influence.  The state police responded to a community in Lehman Township on May 12, 2022, where Murphy was involved in a one-vehicle crash.  When contact was made with Murphy, an odor of an alcoholic beverage was detected.  Murphy admitted to drinking prior to driving.  Filed Sobriety Tests were conducted which indicated impairment and a breath test confirmed a blood alcohol content of .162%.

Joshua David Wharton, age 37, of Milford, PA, was sentenced to 3 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 of a Controlled or Counterfeit Substance. The state police encountered Wharton along SR 739 in Blooming Grove Township on July 15, 2021.  Wharton was observed exhibiting signs of impairment including nervous and fidgety behavior and exhibiting bloodshot eyes with dilated pupils.  Field Sobriety Tests showed impairment.  Wharton admitted taking Suboxone and Cocaine.  A chemical test confirmed the presence of Cocaine in Wharton’s body.

William R. Simmons, age 53, of Tafton, PA, was sentenced to 6 months to 23 months in the Pike County Jail and fined $300 for the crime of Simple Assault.  During a domestic dispute at a residence in Palmyra Township on September 29, 2022, Simmons grabbed an individual by the hair and slammed the individual’s head into an oven door, causing injury.

Kevin George Rifflard, age 23, of Olyphant, PA, was sentenced to 11 ½ months to 23 ½ months in the Pike County Jail and fined $500 for the crime of Delivery of a Controlled Substance.  On November 17, 2021, Rifflard was observed by members of the Pike County District Attorney’s Criminal Investigation Division selling Heroin to a confidential informant at the corner of First Street and Route 6 & 209 in Matamoras.

Celenia Graciela Gamboa, age 24, of Dingmans Ferry, PA was sentenced to 6 months of the Pike Care Program which will include 30 days of house arrest a fine of $300 and driver’s license suspension of 12 months for the crime of Driving Under the Influence.  State police observed Gamboa fail to stop at the intersection of Milford Road and Silver Lake Road in Delaware Township on September 14, 2022.  When contact was made with Gamboa, she was observed to have bloodshot, glassy eyes and emanating the smell of an alcoholic beverage.  Gamboa admitted to drinking prior to driving.  Field Sobriety Tests showed clues of impairment and a breath test confirmed a blood alcohol content of .097%.

Ramon Rodriguez, age 58 of Lords Valley, PA, was sentenced to 6 months of the Pike Care Program which will include 30 days of house arrest, a fine of $750 and a driver’s license suspension of 12 months for the crime of Driving Under the Influence.  The state police stopped Rodriguez after observing his vehicle drift three times across the double yellow line of SR 739 in Dingman Township on February 6, 2022.  Rodriguez was observed to have bloodshot, glassy eyes and an odor of an alcoholic beverage was detected.  Rodriguez admitted to drinking prior to driving.  Field Sobriety Tests indicated impairment and a breath test confirmed a blood alcohol content of .114%.

Samuel Reddin Reiman, age 49, of Dingmans Ferry, PA, was sentenced to 72 hours 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 of Alcohol or a Controlled Substance.  The state police pulled Reiman over along SR 739 in Blooming Grove Township for faulty lights on July 21, 2022.  Reiman was observed to have bloodshot, glassy eyes, with unreactive pupils.  Filed Sobriety Tests showed impairment.  Reiman refused to submit to a blood test.

Daniel James Purdon, age 25, of Lackawaxen Township, was sentenced to 72 hours to 6 months in the Pike County Jail, fined $1,000 and a driver’s license suspension of 12 months for the crime of Driving Under the Influence.  Milford Borough Police were dispatched to West Harford Street for a report of a reckless driver on August 5, 2022.  When contact was made with Purdon, the officer detected the smell of an alcoholic beverage.  An open case of beer was observed on the passenger seat.  Purdon admitted to drinking prior to driving.  Field Sobriety Tests were conducted which showed impairment and a blood test confirmed a blood alcohol content of .215%.

Christine Alexa Williston, age 36, of Milford, PA, was sentenced to 12 months of probation and a fine of $600 for the crimes of Firearms Not to be Carried without a License and Driving Under the Influence.  The state police observed Williston driving erratically along SR 6 in Milford Township and driving her vehicle into a snowbank on January 28, 2022.  Williston displayed bloodshot, watery eyes with slurred speech and smelling of an alcoholic beverage.  Field Sobriety Tests were conducted which showed impairment and a breath test confirmed a blood alcohol content of .138%.  Williston was found in possession of a loaded Glock pistol which she did not have a license to carry.

Robert Vince Pacella, age 53, of Milford, PA, was sentenced to 14 months to 5 years in the Pike County Jail, fined $1,500 and had his driver’s license suspended for 18 months for the crime of Driving Under the Influence.  The state police responded to SR 739 in Delaware Township where the National Park Service officer had pulled over Pacella who was suspected of driving under the influence.  Pacella admitted to drinking prior to driving and was observed to have glassy, bloodshot eyes and emanating an odor of an alcoholic beverage.  Field Sobriety Tests indicated impairment and a breath test confirmed a blood alcohol content of .146%.

Frank Anthony Mangi, age 38, of Hawley, PA, was sentenced to 30 days to 6 months in the Pike County Jail and fined $1,000 for the crime of Boating Under the Influence.  A Waterway Conservation Officer was conducting a shoreline patrol at Fawn Lake on July 28, 2022, when contact was made with Mangi in his boat.  The officer detected the smell of an alcoholic beverage and conducted a shoreline Field Sobriety Test.  A blood test confirmed a blood alcohol content of .121%.

Adam Cole, age 43, of NY, NY, was sentenced to 33 days to 18 months in the Pike County Jail, fined $1,100 and a driver’s license suspension of 12 months for the crimes of Resisting Arrest and Driving Under the Influence.  Eastern Pike Regional Police were dispatched to a business parking lot in Westfall Township where Cole was observed driving erratically and was laying unconscious in the grass.  An odor of an alcoholic beverage was emanating from Cole.  When Cole became conscious, he was belligerent and argumentative causing officers to use substantial force to overcome him.  Cole refused to submit to a blood test.

Nicole Leann Norton, age 35, of Hawley, PA, was sentenced to 9 months to 23 months in the Pike County Jail and fined $500 for the crime of Endangering the Welfare of Children.  State police responded to Norton’s residence in Greene Township on August 22, 2022, to assist Children & Youth with a welfare check of a minor child under Norton’s care.  The child was discovered to be living in poor conditions and exposed to garbage, Heroin/Fentanyl, and various articles of drug paraphernalia. 

Thomas M. Shelp, age 55, of Hawley, PA, was sentenced to 1 month to 6 months in the Pike County Jail and fined $300 for the crime of Possession of a Controlled Substance.  The state police responded to SR 590 in Lackawaxen Township on August 12, 2022, where Shelp was a passenger in a one-vehicle crash and had left the scene on foot prior to the police arriving.  When contact was made with Shelp he was found in possession of Methamphetamine.

Sean Joseph Engle, age 33, of Tafton, PA, was sentenced to 67 days to 12 months in the Pike County Jail and fined $350 for the crime of Possession of a Controlled substance.  The state police stopped a vehicle for no insurance in which Engle was a passenger along SR 6 in Palmyra Township on October 1, 2021.  Engle was observed to have fresh blood pooling on his arm and was acting in a nervous manner.  Engle was found in possession of Heroin.

Zekiel Alejandrez, age 27, of Greentown, PA, was sentenced to 5 years of the Pike Care Program which will include 90 days of house arrest, a fine of $1,500 and a driver’s license suspension of 18 months for the crime of Driving Under the Influence.  The state police were dispatched to SR 507 in Palmyra Township where Alejandrez crashed his vehicle into a tree.  While speaking with Alejandrez, the trooper detected the smell of an alcoholic beverage.  Alejandrez admitted to drinking at a bar prior to driving.  A blood test confirmed a blood alcohol content of .25%.

Craig Joseph Petrasek, age 61, of Tafton, PA, was sentenced to 72 hours to 6 months in the Pike County Jail, fined $1,000 and a driver’s license suspension of 12 months for the crime of Driving Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance.  The state police observed Petrasek following too closely along I-84 in Palmyra Township on September 4, 2020.  When contact was made with Petrasek, he was observed to be dazed, nervous and acting in an unusual manner, with an odor of Marihuana emanating from his vehicle.  Field Sobriety Tests indicated impairment and a blood test confirmed the presence of THC in Petrasek’s blood.  

Nicole Marie Young, age 45, of Brooklyn, NY, was sentenced to 12 months of probation and a fine of $500 for the crime of Retail Theft.  On July 22, 2022, Young exited a retail store in Westfall Township with merchandise valued at $784.67 which Young failed to pay full value for.

Pike County District Attorney

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