Feb 10, 2018 3 min read

court cases

WAYNESBURG – A number of criminal defendants appeared before Greene County judges for sentencing or resentencing recently.

Justin Leburn Smith, 23, of 7714 Westmoreland Ave., Pittsburgh, was sentenced to 18 to 36 months in prison Jan. 18 by Judge Lou Dayich after pleading guilty to possession of 107 stamp bags of suspected heroin. Smith was arrested Oct. 5 by state police who had stopped Smith’s vehicle near the Greene Plaza in Franklin Township for having “blacked out” tint on his vehicle windows. As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to withdraw a charge of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. Smith was given credit for time served from Oct. 6 to the day of sentencing. He also was deemed eligible for the Recidivism Risk Reduction Incentive program, under which his minimum sentence will be reduced to 13 months and 15 days provided he complete the program’s conditions.

Matthew A. Bargerstock, 39, of 461 S. Route 88 Road, Carmichaels, was resentenced Jan. 31 by President Judge Farley Toothman on a second offense, driving under the influence charge to two years in the state intermediate punishment program. Bargerstock first pleaded to DUI Nov. 12, 2014, and was sentenced to the county intermediate punishment program with the first 120 days of house arrest. He was resentenced after violating terms of his sentencing agreement. Under state intermediate punishment, Bargerstock was ordered to serve seven months in prison and participate in institutional and community-based drug and alcohol programs. He also was fined $1,525 and given credit for time served in jail from July 31 to Aug. 20, 2015, and from Oct. 16 to Oct. 25, 2017. Bargerstock was arrested Dec. 8, 2013, following a traffic stop in Cumberland Township. He had a blood-alcohol content level of .204 percent.

Caleb Gregory Walker, 19, of 276 Glade Run Road, Carmichaels, who pleaded guilty Dec. 12 to driving under the influence of alcohol, his second DUI offense in 10 years, was sentenced Feb. 2 by Dayich. Walker was sentenced to six months in the county intermediate punishment program, which will include 48 hours in jail, 28 days of house arrest with electronic alcohol monitoring and an additional 62 days of electronic alcohol monitoring. He is permitted work release while on house arrest. He was fined $800. Arrested April 1, following a single-vehicle crash in Perry Township, Walker had a blood-alcohol content level of .119 percent.

Matthew Robert Buljat Jr., 27, of 233 Second St., Mather, who was accused of grabbing a woman and making obscene comments to her at Jefferson Market April 9 was found not guilty by a Greene County jury Feb. 2 of a misdemeanor count of indecent assault. The trial was before Toothman, who ruled on additional summary counts against Buljat, finding him not guilty of disorderly conduct but guilty of harassment. Toothman ordered Buljat to pay a $300 fine.