Municipal Court

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, a preliminary/pretrial hearing was set Aug. 17 for Alexander Aratari, 36, Stocking Street, Washingtonville, charged with second-degree felony felonious assault and misdemeanor violation of a protection order. Bond was set at $15,000 cash or surety and he was ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim. On Stocking Street in Washingtonville on July 26, Aratari allegedly attempted to run over the victim while the victim was mowing a neighbor’s yard by driving up an embankment at a high rate of speed and barely missing him before continuing north on Boston Street. He had also been giving the victim the middle finger whenever around.

A case against Khalide D. Moore, 25, Gardendale Street, East Liverpool, was bound over to the county grand jury for fourth-degree felony receiving stolen property for allegedly possessing a stolen handgun in his residence on July 18 when the county Drug Task Force executed a search warrant there.

A case against Dustin Hockenbury, 40, Phenix City, Ala., was bound over to the county grand jury for third-degree felony compelling prostitution, fourth-degree felony attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, and fifth-degree felonies of importuning and possessing criminal tools. Hockenbury allegedly requested sexual conduct from an undercover agent posing as a 15-year-old female in exchange for $300, then drove to Salem for the meeting on July 20.

A pretrial was set Aug. 17 for Dana Saltsman, 68, Myers Road, Kensington, charged with assault and aggravated menacing for allegedly attempting to cause serious physical harm to a woman by driving a large tractor in her direction in an unsafe manner with the intention to hit her, causing the victim to have to jump out of the way on Aug. 9 at a Myers Road, West Township property. He also assaulted a man on the property, with video footage of the assault shown to a deputy.

Emmanuel Rodgers, 23, Youngstown, was fined $350 and sentenced to 30 days in jail, with 29 days suspended and credit for one day served for two counts disorderly conduct, amended from resisting arrest and obstructing official business. He was ordered to complete 40 hours community service. Rodgers was accused of pulling away from officers, attempting to flee on foot and resisting after Salem police responded to a report of a fight between a man and woman at Marc’s on East State Street in Salem on Dec. 28, 2022.

Justin Gibbs, 36, Cleveland Street, Salem, was fined $150 and sentenced to one day in jail, with credit for one day served, for disorderly conduct for yelling and walking in the roadway while intoxicated on July 28 at East State Street and Woodland Avenue in Salem after being warned numerous times to stop.

Marcus Gutierrez, 44, Washington Street, Lisbon, was ordered to jail for 45 days, with credit for seven days served, for violating his probation on charges from two separate cases, including OVI refusal with prior within 20 years, driving under suspension, left of center and obstructing official business. The criminal case was from 2020 and the traffic charges were from 2019.

Dannielle Gibson, 35, state Route 267, East Liverpool, was fined $250 and received a suspended 30-day jail term for disorderly conduct, amended from theft. She was ordered to complete 40 hours community service and stay out of Columbiana County Walmarts. Gibson was accused of making fraudulent returns on gift cards from customers bringing items into the Calcutta Walmart for returns while she was working there, putting the amount of the return on a separate gift card and keeping the money to spend herself. Police were called to the store on Jan. 25 regarding the alleged employee theft.

A pretrial was set Aug. 21 for Sara Noling, 26, Wood Street, East Palestine, charged with possession of drug abuse instrument for allegedly possessing numerous syringes in a bag, including a loaded syringe, along with a large amount of suspected methamphetamine and several grams of fentanyl during an incident in East Palestine on Aug. 9.

A pretrial was set Aug. 21 for Herbert Lockhart, 63, Center Street, East Liverpool, charged with disorderly conduct and open container for allegedly having an open beer bottle in his hand during a traffic stop when he was the passenger on Aug. 10 in Madison Township while intoxicated. After being told to stop drinking and leave the beer bottle, he picked the beer bottle up and continued taking several more drinks.

A pretrial was set Oct. 30 for Keshawn Royster, 26, Cleveland, charged with carrying a concealed weapon for allegedly possessing a loaded handgun in a car while he was a passenger during a traffic stop Aug. 5 in Columbiana.

A pretrial was set Nov. 9 for Brian Stowers, 65, Annesley Road, East Liverpool, charged with disorderly conduct for fighting on July 30 in East Liverpool.

Charity Dean, 45, Weirton, W.Va., was fined $300 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 179 days suspended and credit for one day served, for theft. She was ordered to complete 40 hours community service and to stay out of Columbiana County Walmarts. Dean failed to scan and pay for 39 items totaling $170 from the Calcutta Walmart on April 13.

Myron Youngblood, 42, Purinton Avenue, East Liverpool, was fined $250 and sentenced to 11 days in jail, with credit for 11 days served, for three counts criminal trespass and single counts of discarding litter and possessing marijuana. The litter charge stemmed from illegal dumping on a road on Nov.14, 2022. Youngblood tried starting a grill inside a condemned house in East Liverpool on Jan. 31 after having previous warnings not to enter the residence other than to gather belongings. On April 8, he was camped out in the vestibule of Market Street Apartments in East Liverpool. He also was found sleeping on the YMCA property on May 8 with multiple trash bags full of rubbish scattered on the property.

Cases against Denzel Crowell, 29, Cleveland, were bound over to the county grand jury for third-degree felony tampering with evidence and misdemeanors of no license, traffic control devices, obstructing official business and reasonable control, all from cases that date back to 2020 when he fled from St. Clair Township police attempting a traffic stop, jumping from the car while it was still moving, grabbing something from the road and fleeing into the woods and then was caught by K-9 Noras in March 2020. The item suspected from the road was suspected drugs.

Lisa Pardell, 55, Irish Ridge Road, East Liverpool, was fined $515 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 177 days suspended, leaving three days to serve for operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs, failure to control and no license, amended from driving under suspension. Her driver’s license was suspended for two years, with driving privileges granted. She was ordered to perform 40 hours community service.

Ian Sewell, 23, Youngstown, was fined $925 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 177 days suspended and credit for three day served in a driver intervention program, for OVI and tinted glass. A felony charge of possession of cocaine was dismissed. Sewell’s driver’s license was suspended for one year with driving privileges granted. He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service.

Christine Desellem, 33, West Main Street, Salineville, was fined $250 and sentenced to one day in jail, with credit for one day served, for driving under suspension and failure to display valid sticker.

Vincent Syvertsen, 25, state Route 558, Leetonia, was fined $200 for attempted possession of drugs for possessing an orange cut straw in his vehicle indicative of drug use on Oct. 16, 2022 in Lisbon.

Ashley Painter, 40, New Garden Road, Salem, was fined $545 for improper passing and failure to stop after an accident. Her license was suspended for one year, with driving privileges granted

Gerald Jackson, 39, McCloskey Road, Columbiana, was fined $450 for driving under suspension, reckless operation and reasonable control.

A pretrial was set Oct. 30 for Edward Pittman, 40, Granite Street, Salem, charged with driving under suspension and reasonable control.

Derrick Hart, 42, Avondale Street, East Liverpool, was fined $300 and sentenced to three days in jail for driving under suspension.

A pretrial was set Oct. 26 for Robert Arnold, 50, Edgewood, East Liverpool, charged with driving under suspension.

A pretrial was set Oct. 30 for Michael Colaluca, 31, Youngstown, charged with commercial drivers license required and failure to stop after an accident.

Thomas Redman, 40, Sprucevale Road, Rogers, was fined $200 for driving under suspension and failure to control.

Raheem Silva, 30, Youngstown, was fined $400 for two counts driving under suspension, and speeding and tinted glass.

Steven Carman Jr., 28, Wilson Street, Salineville, was fined $250 for driving under suspension and speeding.

Jonathan Willis, 23, Cincinnati, was fined $150 for expired tag and possessing marijuana.

A pretrial was set Nov. 9 for Taylor Horst, 18, Crestview Road, New Waterford, charged with assured clear distance.

Common Pleas

New Cases

Joshua McDonald, Valley Road, Salem, vs. Renee McDonald, Valley Road, Salem; divorce sought.

Patrick Davis, Carbon Hill Road, East Palestine, vs. Melissa Keylor, McCloskey Road, Columbiana, and the Ohio Department of Human Services, Boston, Mass.; personal injury claim from 2021 traffic crash.

Kevin Fantone, Pugh Road, East Liverpool, vs. Keya Fantone, Pugh Road, East Liverpool; divorce sought.

Amy Hannum, East Chestnut Street, East Liverpool, and Justin Hannum, Salem-Alliance Road, Salem; dissolution sought.

Amy Emmerling, state Route 7, East Liverpool, and Steven Emmerling, Marathon, Fla.; dissolution sought.

Docket Entries

U.S. Bank Trust National Association vs. unknown spouse Cheryl Hinton, also known as Cheryl Hinton Byerly, et al.; case dismissed.

Seven Seventeen Credit Union Inc. vs. Christine Jones, Pritchard Avenue, Lisbon; $13,910 judgment granted to plaintiff plus1,432 interest.

Christopher Chuey, et al. vs. Nancy Gilson, et al; plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment granted, with title to minerals on land given to plaintiffs against 15 named defendants, case remains pending against defendant Mary Margaret Graham, executor of estate of Barbara Graham Williams and trustee of Barbara Graham Williams Revocable Trust.

County Treasurer vs. Donald Packner, et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure ordered for West Pine Lake Road, Salem property.

County Treasurer vs. Life Restoration Center International, Inc.; delinquent property tax foreclosure ordered for Main Street, Wellsville property.

Mariner Finance LLC vs. Brittany Tennant, et al.; $16,028 judgment granted to plaintiff, plus $56 interest.

Onemain Financial Group, LLC vs. Katelyn Gregory; $4,636 judgment granted to plaintiff.

Court News

LISBON — A Salem man accused of multiple charges related to a domestic incident last fall was sentenced to two years in prison during a recent hearing in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court.

George House Jr., 38, last known address Homewood Avenue, Salem, was sentenced to 18 months for intimidation of an attorney, victim or witness in a criminal case, a third-degree felony, 18 months for fourth-degree felony domestic violence, six months for fifth-degree felony of violating a protection order and 180 days each for two counts of misdemeanor endangering children. All the terms were ordered served concurrently (at the same time) with the exception of the protection order violation which was ordered served consecutively to the other charge, bringing the grand total to 24 months or two years. House received credit for 231 days already served in jail. A charge of unlawful restraint was dismissed.

The protection order charge stemmed from an Aug. 1, 2021 incident. The rest of the charges stemmed from incidents Oct. 31, 2022 through Nov. 2, 2022 in Salem when House was accused of assaulting a woman and threatening to kill her and knock her teeth out on Oct. 31. Police had been to the Homewood Avenue home to check on the woman and finally made contact Nov. 2, learning House allegedly punched her in the face, made her put makeup on to conceal her injuries and wouldn’t let her leave or use her phone to call for help.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— A further status hearing was set Sept. 8 for James Merino, 66, Benton Road, Salem, after a trial to the judge on multiple drug charges. A motion to suppress evidence seized during an Aug. 12, 2021 drug raid at Merino’s home had been overruled previously. During the morning trial on Aug. 7, Judge Scott Washam took the testimony under advisement. During the trial, a motion by the defense for acquittal was denied. Charges against Merino included third-degree felonies of tampering with evidence and having weapons under disability, fifth-degree felonies of possession of cocaine, aggravated possession of drugs and two counts possession of drugs and a misdemeanor obstructing official business charge.

The drugs involved included cocaine, methamphetamine, buprenorphine and alprazolam. He was barred from possessing guns due to a 1984 drug conviction, but multiple weapons were seized during the search.

— Justin Ginsburg, 42, Twinsburg, pleaded guilty to a lesser offense of attempted compelling prostitution and attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, both fourth-degree felonies. A fifth-degree felony of possessing criminal tools will be dismissed. Sentencing was set for Nov. 6. As part of an undercover operation of the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force, Ginsburg was accused of soliciting numerous acts of sexual conduct from an agent posing as an adult female and a 15-year-old girl and showed up in Salem on West State Street on Feb. 18 for the meeting.

— Kolton J. Smith, 25, Winona Road, Salem, was sentenced to six months in prison for domestic violence, a fourth-degree felony, with credit for 43 days already served in jail. Smith was accused of causing physical harm to a woman in Perry Township on March 29.

— Shannon Landess, 41, 15th Street, Wellsville, pleaded guilty to grand theft, a fourth-degree felony, and telecommunications fraud, a third-degree felony, with sentencing set for Oct. 13 for stealing money from the Wellsville Volunteer Fire Department from March 11, 2016 to Dec. 5, 2022.

— Stacie Saracco, 33, 18th Street, Wellsville, was ordered to complete a program at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center after being placed on probation for two years for two separate indictments. She received credit of 96 days and 131 days for the two cases. One case involved aggravated possession of drugs and possession of fentanyl-related compound, both fifth-degree felonies, for possessing or using methamphetamine and fentanyl-related compound on Nov. 2, 2021. The other case was for possession of heroin, a fifth-degree felony, for possessing the drug on Jan. 26, 2021. A charge of possession of drug abuse instruments was dismissed.

— Marcus Jarvis, 29, Maple Hill Road, Salineville, was sentenced to six months in prison for possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony, with a specification for money in a drug case, for possessing cocaine and $244 on Jan 27, 2022. He was ordered to forfeit the $244. He was ordered to serve this term at the same time as a sentenced he received in January for 15 months for possession of cocaine, a third-degree felony, and fifth-degree felonies of trafficking in cocaine and possession of fentanyl-related compound. On Jan. 5, 2022, Jarvis prepared cocaine for sale, possessed cocaine in an amount 10 grams or more but less than 20 grams, and possessed a fentanyl-related compound.