SUNBURY - A Mount Carmel woman dealing with some serious issues beside her legal problems could be facing state prison time after pleading guilty Monday afternoon to numerous charges relating to nine criminal complaints filed by various police departments.
Melanie J. Guinther, 30, of 244 S. Beech St., entered the pleas before Northumberland County Judge Charles H. Saylor, who ordered the defendant to enter a state intermediate punishment program at SCI-Muncy, where she will undergo a rehabilitation program for drug abuse for 90 days. Saylor, who denied Guinther entry into the county drug treatment court due to the seriousness of the extensive charges, deferred sentencing until it is determined if Guinther successfully completes the rehabilitation program.
The guilty plea initially began Monday morning, but was continued by Saylor until the afternoon at the request of Assistant District Attorney William Cole and Guinther's attorney, David Noon of Sunbury, who needed more time to sort through all the charges involved in the nine criminal complaints and other legal matters.
Noon told the judge that his client was dealing with many other issues. He said Guinther is bi-polar and has a severe drug addiction. He said Guinther is still suffering from the effects of surgery after being involved in accidents. Noon also said his client's estranged husband died earlier this year and she is pregnant.
Guinther, who had several family members in attendance, pleaded guilty to felonies of criminal trespass and theft, and a misdemeanor of possession of OxyContin relating to a June 2 robbery of 300 prescription pills and $3,150 from the Paxinos home of her 79-year-old grandfather, Irvin F. Snyder. Ralpho Township police filed the charges.
Robert Forrest Smith, 47, of Coal Township, and Katie Lynn Labus, 20, of Coal Township, also were charged in the robbery, with Smith being accused of stealing the money and pills at knifepoint.
Guinther pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor of receiving stolen property in connection with the theft of a bracelet from a home in Ralpho Township on Oct. 21, 2010. The charge was filed by Ralpho Township police.
She pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor of theft for allegedly stealing merchandise from Wal-Mart Supercenter in Coal Township on Jan. 22, 2011. Coal Township police filed the charge.
The defendant pleaded guilty to misdemeanors of loitering and defiant trespass involving an Aug. 2, 2011, incident at Joe's Auto Body in Natalie. The charges were filed by Mount Carmel Township police.
She pleaded guilty to a felony of forgery for allegedly forging a check stolen from a Sunbury home on July 12, 2011. The charge was filed by Sunbury police.
She pleaded guilty to a felony of forgery for allegedly presenting a fake $5 bill at Turkey Hill Minit Market in Mount Carmel on May 9, 2011. The charge was filed by Mount Carmel police.
Guinther pleaded guilty to a felony of possession with intent to deliver three Kadiam capsules and 12 Ropinirole hydrochloride tablets involving a March 11 incident at the intersection of Route 61 and Mid Valley Highway (Route 2032) in Mount Carmel Township. The charges were filed by members of the Northumberland-Montour Drug Task Force.
Guinther pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor bad check charge filed by Ralpho Township police in connection with a July 31 incident at the Village Peddler in Elysburg.
She pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor of loitering and prowling at night filed by Ralpho Township police in connection with a Sept. 28 incident outside an Elysburg home.