County Prosecutor

December 12 Keith McHale, 37, of Budd Lake, pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance within 1,000 feet of a school, driving while intoxicated and refusing to submit to a breathalyzer test. McHale admitted that on Aug. 30 he possessed less than one ounce of marijuana with the intent to distribute it in Hampton as he drove by the Northwest Christian School. He was stopped for speeding by N.J. State Trooper Shane Crisanda, who conducted the investigation. McHale admitted that he consumed a portion of a 24-ounce container of beer and had been smoking marijuana, which affected his ability to operate the vehicle. He is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 10. Sarah Greenwald, 21, of Hamburg, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, driving while suspended and driving while intoxicated. She admitted going to Newark on Jan. 21 for the purpose of obtaining heroin. She constructively possessed heroin when she was stopped by Sparta Police Officer Louis Takacs. She indicated she consumed heroin while driving back from Newark and that she knew that her driver’s license was suspended. She also admitted to possessing a bag of heroin in Sparta on Sept. 19. Her sentence date is Jan. 27. Nancy Christ, 41, of Milford, Pa., pleaded guilty to theft of movable property and possession of a controlled dangerous substance. She admitted that while working as a nurse at Andover Sub-Acute & Rehab Center, she took pills, such as Percocet, Vicodin and Oxycontin, which were prescribed for patients, and converted them to her own use. The matter was investigated by the Center’s security department and Det. Taglialatella of the Andover Police Department. Gregory Skyers, 29, of Whiting, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled dangerous substance and driving while suspended. He admitted that he possessed five vials of cocaine in the men’s room of the Hess gas station on Oct. 29, 2004 in Stanhope, and that he had driven there while his license was suspended. The matter was investigated by Officer Joseph Indano of the Stanhope Police Dept. Skyers is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 10. December 15 Kathleen Merklinger, 49, of Wantage, was sentenced to 18 months probation. She must also obtain a TASC evaluation and follow all recommendations, maintain counseling, serve 300 hours of community service, undergo random urine testing, seven months loss of drivers license, and 12 hours EDRC. Fines and costs total $1,509. Merklinger pleaded guilty on Oct. 31 to possession of cocaine and DWI. She admitted to consuming three to four beers before she was found sleeping in her car by N.J. State Trooper Diehl on Aug. 21 in Wantage. She was also found to be in possession of two bags containing trace amounts of cocaine. December 16 Matthew S. Cappello, 30, of Highland Lakes, was sentenced to 107 days in the Keogh-Dwyer Correctional Facility and was given credit for 107 days served. He must pay total fines and penalties of $280 and submit a DNA sample at his expense. He pleaded guilty on Oct. 24 to two counts of resisting arrest. On Aug. 27, Cappello attempted to elude Patrolman Harry Russo of the Vernon Police Dept. and then refused to exit a residence the next day when the police came to arrest him. Kimberly S. Decker, 46, of Montague, was sentenced to two years probation and must serve 120 days in the Keogh-Dwyer Correctional Facility as a condition of probation. She was given credit for 57 days served. Decker must pay restitution in the amount of $360. She must pay total fines and penalties of $530 and submit a DNA sample at her expense. She pleaded guilty on Nov. 7 to theft and two counts of shoplifting. On July 12, she took a purse from another patron’s shopping cart at the Shop-Rite in Montague. On Aug. 10, she shoplifted merchandise from the Wal-Mart in Hampton, and on Sept. 12, she shoplifted merchandise from the Wal-Mart in Franklin. Robert A, Gannon, 25, of Parsippany, was sentenced to 115 days in the Keogh-Dwyer Correctional Facility and was given credit for 115 days served. He must pay total fines and penalties of $155 and submit a DNA sample at his expense. Gannon pleaded guilty on Nov. 15 to possession of a prohibited weapon. On Nov. 1, 2003, while being served with a temporary domestic violence restraining order by the Hopatcong Police Department, a search of his person revealed a 5-inch gravity knife in his rear pants pocket. Joseph H. Thompson, 19, of Marienville, Pa., was sentenced to two years probation, which will be transferred to Pennsylvania. He must serve 72 days in the Keogh-Dwyer Correctional Facility as a condition of probation, was given credit for 72 days served and must perform 100 hours of community service. He must pay total fines and penalties of $255 and submit a DNA sample at his expense. Thompson pleaded guilty on March 28 to eluding a motor vehicle charge of reckless driving. He admitted to taking his father’s car without the father’s knowledge or consent on Feb. 2 and driving with his girlfriend to N.J. When a state trooper attempted to pull him over for driving in an unsafe manner, he did not stop right away and the vehicle ended up getting stuck in a snow bank in Branchville. Justin M. Hauser, 20, Cuddebackville, N.Y., was sentenced to two years probation, must serve 108 days in the Keogh-Dwyer Correctional Facility as a condition of probation, and was given credit for 108 days served. He must pay restitution in the amount of $155.50, total fines and penalties of $155, and submit a DNA sample at his expense. Hauser pleaded guilty on Nov. 14 to burglary. On April 18, in Hampton, he entered a car in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart and stole various items from the vehicle.