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:

Victoria Marquis Casella, age 30, of Greeley, PA, was sentenced to 64 days to 12 months in the Pike County Jail, followed by 6 months of probation and a fine of $600 for the crimes of Possession of a Controlled Substance and Flight to Avoid Apprehension, Trial or Punishment.  Casella was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by the state police when observed driving along SR 739 in Blooming Grove Township with a faulty brake light on May 30, 2022.  Occupants of the stopped vehicle displayed nervous behavior.  A consent to search the vehicle revealed Casella was in possession of Methamphetamine.  On March 22, when the Sheriff’s deputies arrived at Casella’s residence to serve a bench warrant on her, Casella was found hiding under clothing in a closet.   

Rusian Basanyuk, age 43, Brooklyn, NY, 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.  The state police were dispatched to Tribes Drive in Shohola Township where Basanyuk was involved in a one-vehicle crash.  When speaking with Basanyuk, he was observed swaying and emanating the smell of an alcoholic beverage with bloodshot, watery eyes.  Basanyuk admitted to drinking prior to driving.  Field Sobriety Tests showed impairment and a breath test confirmed a blood alcohol content of .218%. 

Gerald L. Pritchard, age 57, of Walnutport, 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 driver’s license suspension of 18 months for the crime of Driving Under the Influence.  Milford Police were alerted to Pritchard driving erratically through the park service on Route 209 headed towards the Borough on March 13, 2022.  Contact was made with Pritchard at a business in Milford Borough.  Pritchard was observed to have slurred speech and acting confused.  Field Sobriety Tests indicated impairment and a blood test confirmed a blood alcohol content of .235%. 

Michael George Scheibner, age 57, of Milford, 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.  Scheibner was stopped by the Milford Police for various observed traffic infractions while riding his motorcycle over the streets of the Borough on August 6, 2022.  When Scheibner was stopped, he had difficulty balancing his motorcycle.  Scheibner exhibited glassy, bloodshot eyes, with slurred speech and emanating the smell of an alcoholic beverage.  Field Sobriety Tests indicated impairment and a breath test confirmed a blood alcohol content of .212%.

Joseph G. Nathan, age 62, of Milford, PA, was sentenced to 72 hours to 12 months in the Pike County Jail, fined $1,500 and had his driver’s license suspended for 12 months for the crimes of Terroristic Threats and Driving Under the Influence of a Controlled or Counterfeit Substance.  Eastern Pike Regional Police responded to Macintosh Way in Westfall Township on July 20, 2022, where Nathan was asleep in his vehicle with a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from the vehicle.  When contact was made with Nathan, he was uncooperative and combative and threatened to kill the responding officers.  Milford Police responded to a residence in Westfall Township where Pike County Deputies had Nathan as an intoxicated driver asleep behind the wheel, with the vehicle running.  Field Sobriety Tests could not be conducted due to the level of intoxication.  Nathan admitted to drinking and consuming prescription medication prior to driving and refused to submit to a chemical blood test. 

Christopher Bennett, age 38, of Milford, PA, was sentenced to 12 months to 7 years in a state correctional facility, fined $5,000 and had his driver’s license suspended for 48 months for 3 counts of the crime of Driving Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance.  Eastern Pike Regional Police responded to Route 6 & 209 in Westfall Township where Bennett caused an accident involving several other vehicles on April 15, 2022.  Bennett exhibited signs of drug intoxication.  A blood test confirmed the presence of Buprenorphine, Norbuprenorphine and Alprazolam in his blood.  In a separate incident on July 22, 2022,  Eastern Pike Regional Police responded to Route 6 & 209 in Westfall Township where Bennett hit another vehicle head-on.  Bennett was observed slurring his words and being unstable on his feet.  A blood test confirmed the presence of Buprenorphine in his blood.  Milford Police responded to Moon Valley Road to assist the state police where Bennett drove off the road shearing a sign and crashing into a group of trees on May 3, 2022.  Bennett’s eyes were observed to have pinpoint pupils.  Field Sobriety Tests indicated impairment and a blood test confirmed the presence of Buprenorphine, Norbuprenorphine and Alprazolam in his blood.

Michael William Costello, age 35, of Huguenot, NY, was sentenced to 72 hours to 12 months in the Pike County Jail, fined $1,700 and had his driver’s license suspended for 36 months for the crimes of Driving Under the Influence, Accident Involving Death or Personal Injury While Not Properly Licensed and Driving While Operating Privilege Suspended or Revoked.  Eastern Pike Regional Police responded to Pennsylvania Avenue in Matamoras where Costello had driven his vehicle into the rear of another vehicle causing it to collide into additional vehicles resulting in injury to the occupants on February 24, 2022.  When contact was made with Costello, an odor of an alcoholic beverage was detected.  A bottle of whiskey was located in his vehicle.  A blood test confirmed a blood alcohol content of .198%.

James C. Pitman, age 36, of Milford, PA, was sentenced to 2 years of probation and fined $1,000 for 2 counts of the crime of Recklessly Endangering Another Person.  The state police responded to Silver Lake Road and Cabin Road where shots were fired on August 18, 2021.  When the troopers arrived on scene, Pitman was engaged in conduct that placed a trooper and others in danger of causing bodily injury.

Frank A. Delillo, age 37, of Canadensis, PA, was sentenced to 12 months to 36 months in a state correctional facility and fined $800 for 2 counts of the crime of Receiving Stolen Property.  Between January 21, 2022, and January 22, 2022, and on February 20, 2022, Delillo took possession of propane tanks valued at in excess of $100 from Promised Land State Park, knowing that he did not have permission to do so. 

Elizabeth M. Crawley, age 32, of Canadensis, PA, was sentenced to 6 months of the Pike Care 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 of a Controlled Substance.  The state police were dispatched to Bloss Road in Greene Township where Crawley was involved in a domestic dispute on May 15, 2022.  Crawley then drove to a residence in Greene Township where the dispute continued.  When contact was made with Crawley, she was observed to have a white powdery substance in her nostrils, and she admitted to ingesting Cocaine.  Field Sobriety Tests were conducted which indicated impairment.  Crawley refused to submit to a blood test.

James Edward Leahy, age 52, of Shohola, PA, was sentenced to 48 hours to 6 months in the Pike County Jail, fined $500 and had his driver’s license suspended for 12 months for the crime of Driving Under the Influence.  The state police stopped Leahy along Milford Road in Dingman Township on February 16, 2022.  Leahy was observed to have bloodshot, glassy eyes and emanating the smell of an alcoholic beverage.  Leahy admitted to drinking prior to driving.  Field Sobriety Tests showed impairment and a blood test confirmed a blood alcohol content of .134%.