A New Philadelphia man will not have to return to prison after a Schuylkill County judge revoked his probation Monday.
Trevor J. Gibas, 22, admitted violating his probation by committing new crimes, using drugs and giving false urine samples to county probation officials.
Judge Jacqueline L. Russell revoked his probation and sentenced him to serve 40 days to 12 months in prison. Since Gibas already has spent 40 days behind bars, Russell allowed him to remain free.
“It certainly sounds like Mr. Gibas has a terrible drug problem,” Russell said.
Gibas admitted that was true.
“It’s killing me,” he told Russell. “I have a drug problem and I want to fix it.”
As part of his sentence, Gibas must submit to random drug testing and undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation.
Gibas originally pleaded guilty on Feb. 19, 2014, to two counts of possession of a controlled substance, with prosecutors withdrawing a charge of disorderly conduct. At that time, Russell placed him on probation for 23 months, and also sentenced him to pay costs, $100 to the Substance Abuse Education Fund and $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account, all of which he still must pay under the terms of Mondays’ sentence, and perform 20 hours community service.
Pottsville police had charged Gibas with possessing drugs on Feb. 18, 2013, in the city.
Also on Monday, Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin revoked the probation of Lawrence D. Cooney, 53, address not known, and sentenced him to serve three to six months in prison.
Dolbin ruled prosecutors proved Cooney violated his probation by committing a new crime.
Cooney originally pleaded guilty on Feb. 18, 2015, to defiant trespass. At that time, Dolbin sentenced him to spend 12 months on probation consecutive to his existing sentence and pay costs and a $50 CJEA payment, both of which he still must pay under the terms of Monday’s sentence.
Pottsville police charged him with trespassing on July 30, 2014, in the city.