In Greene County district court Shawn J. Gifford, 27, of Jefferson was sentenced to two years in prison after he changed his plea to guilty to a charge of driving while license barred. The prison term was suspended and Gifford was placed on informal probation for two years. He was fined $625 with a $218.75 surcharge. He must also pay $600 restitution for his court appointed attorney’s fees and $100 court costs. A charge of child endangerment in a separated case was dismissed as part of a plea agreement. Gifford must pay an amount not to exceed $450 for his attorney’s fees in that case. (Sentencing: Honorable Joseph B. McCarville)
Tunney James Merrill, 18, of Mapleton was sentenced to 30 days in jail after he changed his plea to guilty to a charge of possession of marijuana- second offense. All but two days of the jail time was suspended. Merrill must pay sheriff’s room and board charges for the time he serves. He was placed on unsupervised probation for one year. He must undergo a substance abuse evaluation and complete any recommended treatment at his own expense, and his driver’s license was revoked for 180 days. Merrill was fined $315 with a $110.25 surcharge, a $10 surcharge for drug abuse resistance education (DARE) and a $125 Law Enforcement Initiative surcharge. Court costs were $100. A charge of carrying weapons was dismissed. As part of a plea agreement, a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia in a magistrate case was dismissed. (Sentencing: McCarville)
Cases were initiated in district court as follows: Angela Dawn Beem, 46, of Jefferson, criminal mischief- third degree; Deborah Ann Sanders, 49, of Jefferson, reckless use of fire or explosives; Craig Steven Johnson, 40, of Jefferson, operating while intoxicated- first offense; and Damien Michael Schering, 25, of Scranton, domestic abuse assault- second offense.
