County Prosecutor

October 11 Bryan Hedderick, 19, of Hampton Township, pleaded guilty to distributing a controlled and dangerous substance while on school property and to possession of a controlled and dangerous substance. He is scheduled for sentencing next month. Hedderick pleaded guilty to distributing Ambien tablets to two students at Kittatinny Regional High School on Jan. 30, 2004. He also pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and Ecstacy on July 14, in Stanhope. The first incident was investigated by New Jersey State Police Trooper Nicholas Arbolino and the latter was investigated by Stanhope Police Officer Joseph Indano. Travis Restrepo, 19, of Netcong, pleaded guilty to distribution of less than one ounce of marijuana. He is scheduled for sentencing in November. According to court records, on Feb. 10, Restrepo sold $50 worth of marijuana to an undercover detective assigned to the Sussex County Narcotics Task Force. Tracy DeBonis, 25, of Budd Lake, was sentenced to three years probation after she pleaded guilty to violating a previously imposed probation for bail jumping and hindering the apprehension of another. According to the court, DeBonis violated probation by being rearrested on other charges, failing to appear for appointments and failing to engage in treatment. October 12 James E. Norman, 42, of Hamburg pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a minor. Sentencing is scheduled for December. According to police, Norman brought a boy who was less than 16 years old to a local amusement center and while there he touched the youngster inappropriately. October 13 Mary Ellen Berbenich, 46, of Hamburg, pleaded guilty to providing false information to law enforcement, motor vehicle violations of driving while suspended, refusing to submit to a breathalyzer test and driving while intoxicated, and to violating the terms of her probation. Sentencing will take place in December. According to police, on May 21, in the Town of Newton, Berbenich was arrested for driving while intoxicated and identified herself to the officer as her sister, Joan Berbenich. The violation of probation arose from an incident in Franklin Borough on May 23, 2003 where the Berbenich admitted to possessing three bags of heroin when a search warrant was executed on the vehicle she was traveling in at the time. She pled guilty to that charge on Aug. 8, 2003 and was sentenced to two years probation. October 14 Carl J. Hoopingamer, 41, of Cambridge, Ohio, pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property. Sentencing will take place next month. Hoopingamer admitted to taking tools belonging to his employer in an effort to force the employer to pay him money he was owed. The tools were found in a vehicle Hoopingamer was traveling in on April 19, when he was stopped for motor vehicle violations in Sparta. Richard Izzo, 36, of West Fall Township, Penn., was sentenced to 164 days, ordered to pay $155 in penalties and register his new address under the provisions of Megan’s Law, Izzo pleaded guilty on July 5, to one count of violating Megan’s Law for failure to notify law enforcement. Under the provisions of Megan’s Law, Izzo was required to notify the local police that he was moving to a new address ten days prior to his actual move. Izzo admitted to the court that between May 13, 2004 and April 7, 2005, he had moved from Montague Township without notifying any law enforcement agency of his new address. October 17 Joseph R. Ballo, 42, of Sussex, was sentenced to two years probation. He must serve 90 days in the Sheriffs Labor Assistance Program as a condition of probation, pay restitution in the amount of $1,490.96, penalties totaling $205 and submit a DNA sample at his expense. Ballo pleaded guilty on Aug. 8, to forgery and issuing bad checks. Ballo confessed taking checks from his then roommate, forging them and then cashing them. This occurred between Oct. 26, and November 28, in Wantage Township. He also wrote several checks from his personal checking account knowing the bank would not honor those checks. This occurred between April 13, 2004 and October 19, 2004 in Sussex Borough.