County Prosecutor

July 31 Joseph Balzano, 20, of Lagrangeville. N.Y., pleaded guilty to third-degree possession of Xanax and careless driving. He admitted to possessing a Xanax tablet after being stopped for careless driving by Byram Police Officer Daniel Dewald on May 27. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 22. Michael Hughes, 35, of Branchviile, pleaded guilty to third-degree possession of heroin and fourth-degree tampering with physical evidence. Hughes was arrested following a motor vehicle stop by Sparta Police Officer Marc Rubino on June 3. A search of his person resulted in the seizure of two bags of heroin from his socks and three from a front pocket of his pants. He was then asked by police if he possessed any more heroin and he answered no. It was then discovered he had an additional 10 bags of heroin secreted inside his mouth. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 22. Dale J. Corcoran, 19, of Vemon, pleaded guilty to robbery, a second-degree crime. On March 19, in Vernon, Corcoran attempted to take a gas station attendant’s roll of money when the attendant asked for payment for gas purchased. Sentencing is anticipated for Sept. 22. John J. Demarest, 28, of Wantage, pleaded guilty to burglary, a third-degree crime. He confessed to entering a room at the Sussex Motel through a front window on June 18 and taking cash belonging to the occupant of that room. Sentencing is anticipated for Sept. 22. Lisa Decato, 36, of Stroudsburg, Pa., pleaded guiliy to third-degree possession of heroin. She admitted possessing four bags of heroin on Feb. 13, which were discovered during a brief investigation by Byram Police Officer Daniel Dewald. Sentencing is anticipated for Sept. 22. Wayne Wilson, 26, of Butler, pleaded guilty to third-degree possession of cocaine. He admitted to possessing a small bag of cocaine found by Hamburg Police Officer David Mcnulty after police responded to Wilson’s overdose at an apartment in Hamburg. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 22. Donna G. Fedder, 21, of Branchville, pleaded guilty to burglary and possession of heroin. She admitted her part in entering a home in Franklin on June 16, 2005 without the homeowner’s consent or knowledge, taking a safe from the home and taking the money stored in the safe. On July 27, 2005, in Sparta, she was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped for a motor vehicle violation on Route 15. A subsequent search of the vehicle turned up several vials of suspected cocaine and several packets of suspected heroin. Sentencing is anticipated for Sept. 22. August 2 Estelle Walker, of Hopatcong, formerly of New York City, was charged with multiple charges of child endangerment. Walker is presently in the Sussex County Jail in lieu of $200,000 bail, no 10 percent option. On July 25, the N.J. Division of Youth and Family Services received information that resulted in a welfare check at the Hopatcong residence. DYFS’ efforts resulted in four minors being transported to Newton Memorial Hospital for apparent malnutrition. Walker was arrested later that evening. The four minors, ages 8, 9, 11 and 13, and one adult child, age 18, who had been apparently home schooled by the mother, are presently residing with family pursuant to court order and are improving. The Hopatcong Police Dept., Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office and N.J. DYFS are cooperating in the investigation. John Talmadge, Jr., 19 of Montague was sentenced to a two-year term of probation. As a condition of his probation, Talmadge is to serve 60 days in jail and to pay restitution in the amount of $3344.97. He was also sentenced to a two-year driver’s license suspension and to pay $2030 in fines and penalties. Talmadge pleaded guilty on May 22 to eight counts of burglary, one count of theft of an automobile, and one count of receiving stolen property. He admitted that during April 2005 he had entered numerous vehicles for the purpose of stealing property from inside the cars. He also admitted taking a 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse without the owner’s consent, and to bringing a stolen 2004 Chrysler Pacifica into the state.