Northampton County man pleads to drug dealing count, gets jail time

A Northampton County man pleaded guilty in Carbon County court on Thursday to drug charges and was sentenced to a county prison term.

Harry Kuhlman Stahl, 47, of Nazareth, pleaded to one count each of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance before Judge Steven R. Serfass.

He was arrested on the PWID charge on April 12, 2019, by Jim Thorpe police after they served a search warrant on a residence in the borough. Found inside the home, besides Stahl, were drugs including heroin and other drug materials and U.S. currency.

The possession charge stems from an incident on Sept. 2, 2018, in Nesquehoning.

Stahl told the court he wanted to enter an inpatient rehabilitation program run by the Salvation Army for a drug addiction problem and plans to apply for it.

Serfass sentenced him on the PWID charge to serve one day less 12 to one day less 24 months in the county prison.

On the possession count, he was placed on probation for a year, consecutive to the PWID charge.

He was also ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation, zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use, supply a DNA sample, pay court costs of about $1,000 and pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole and probation. He was given credit for five days already served.

Serfass delayed the start of the prison term to 9 a.m. on June 15 to give Stahl time to apply for and enter the rehab program, if not, he must report to the county prison on that date.