Grand Jury

LISBON — Two defendants facing drug charges were served Wednesday with secret indictments issued by the Columbiana County Grand Jury.

Lyndsey Meredith, 31, Riverside Avenue, Wellsville, was charged with aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, and a misdemeanor of possession of drugs, for allegedly possessing amphetamine and buprenorphine on Oct. 9, 2022.

John Kearns, 43, Depot Street, Rogers, was charged with possession of fentanyl-related compound, a fifth-degree felony, and a misdemeanor of possession of drugs, for allegedly possessing fentanyl-related compound and tramadol on July 7, 2022.

Court News

LISBON — A Youngstown man accused of stealing from a Leetonia woman in two separate cases was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts of telecommunications fraud, theft and receiving stolen property.

Matthew E. Withers, 35, formerly of Salem, appeared in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court recently on both cases, entering pleas and then taking immediate sentencing.

In one case, Withers was sentenced to 12 months after pleading guilty to theft from a person in a protected class, a fourth-degree felony, and then 9 months each after pleading guilty to three counts of telecommunications fraud, with the terms to all be served at the same time, but consecutive to the other case. He received credit for two days served in jail.

In the other case, he was sentenced to 12 months after pleading guilty to fourth-degree felony telecommunications fraud and then nine months each after pleading guilty to fifth-degree felonies of theft and receiving stolen property. The terms were to be served at the same time.

All together, that comes to 24 months (or two years) for the two cases.

Withers stole $1,811.90 from Rebecca Detchon on Jan. 26, 2022. The telecommunications fraud violations occurred on Jan. 26, 2022, March 9, 2022 and April 23, 2022. For the other case, he was found in possession of a stolen credit card belonging to Rebecca Detchon on Oct. 19, 2022 and stole $3,892 worth of merchandise and services between Oct. 14, 2022 and Oct. 18, 2022.

As part of the punishment, he was ordered to pay restitution to Detchon in amounts of $1,811.90 and $3,892.89.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— Eric McQueen, 31, was sentenced to 12 months in prison after pleading guilty to third-degree felony illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto the grounds of a specified governmental facility, fourth-degree felony possession of fentanyl-related compound and fifth-degree felony possession of cocaine. The charges all stemmed from an incident March 31, 2022 for bringing drugs of abuse into a detention facility and involved cocaine and fentanyl-related compound. The sentence was ordered serve consecutive to a Mahoning County case for drug and weapons charges. McQueen was sentenced on Oct. 13, 2022 to 18 months in prison for that case.

— George Faulkner, 36, state Route 14, East Palestine, was sentenced to 10 months in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony, and a misdemeanor of fraudulent actions concerning a vehicle identification number (VIN). The term was ordered served at the same time as another case. On April 1, 2022, Faulkner had a 2010 Jeep Wrangler belonging to Scott Caron of Cornerstone Motors and a 1999 Ford F-450 XLT belonging to Autopark and also placed a counterfeit VIN on a vehicle.

— Mary Elizabeth Kiehl, 38, state Route 558, Leetonia, was sentenced to nine months in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, with credit for 42 days already served in jail. Kiehl possessed methamphetamine and Psilocyn on Feb. 11, 2021.

— Tanika Smith, 44, Wyoming Avenue, East Liverpool, was ordered to serve up to six months at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center in Lisbon as part of her three years of probation after pleading guilty to third-degree felony domestic violence, fifth-degree harassment with a bodily substance and misdemeanors of endangering children and resisting arrest. Smith resisted arrest and spit on an officer after East Liverpool police officers were called to the Wyoming Avenue residence for a domestic on Nov. 5, 2022.

— David Kane, 38, West Ninth Street, East Liverpool, was sentenced to 90 days in the county jail, with credit for 26 days served, leaving a balance of 64 days to serve after violating the terms of his probation, which was dishonorably terminated, for aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. Kane possessed methamphetamine on July 20, 2020.

Municipal

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, a case against Gerald Jackson, 39, McCloskey Road, Columbiana, was bound over to the county grand jury for fourth-degree felony theft and third-degree felony failure to comply with fleeing and eluding for allegedly stealing a truck belonging to Donald Pitts, fleeing from police and crashing the truck in a head-on collision on Aug. 6 in Hanover Township, injuring two people in the other vehicle.

A preliminary hearing was set Aug. 21 for Timothy Curry, 49, Darlington, Pa., charged with second-degree felony burglary for allegedly breaking into an ex-girlfriend’s East Palestine home and stealing a television on July 16.

A preliminary/pretrial hearing was set Aug. 24 for Nathan James Minerd, 36, Youngstown, charged with fourth-degree felony trafficking in drugs and misdemeanor driving under suspension for allegedly attempting to sell drugs in East Palestine on Aug. 16.

Christopher Osborne, Youngstown, was fined $300 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 150 day suspended and credit for four days served, leaving 26 days to serve in jail, for domestic violence. He was also ordered to complete 40 hours community service and have no contact with the victims. A restitution hearing was set for Nov. 28. Osborne got into an argument with a man and woman in the county and pushed them both down, causing injury on July 14.

A pretrial was set Nov. 14 for Mitchell Soules, 33, Elberon Avenue, Salem, charged with weapons while intoxicated and criminal damaging for an alleged incident July 1 when a man reported hearing glass breaking and a loud boom from Soules’ residence where police found multiple bullet holes in the porch. Soules allegedly told police he was cleaning his shotgun and drinking and discharged one round through the window.

A pretrial was set Nov. 20 for Jerry Lynn Westfall, 63, Jefferson, charged with engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools for allegedly responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranging for sexual conduct with a female in exchange for $240, then driving to East Palestine for the meeting on July 28.

Benny Freeman, 44, Mantua, was fined $750 and given a suspended 90-day jail term for engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools. He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service and a 12-hour education course. Freeman solicited sexual activity in exchange for $220 from an undercover officer posing as an adult mother and her adult daughter and arrived at a meeting location in East Palestine on Dec. 28, 2022.

Stephen Kendall, 46, Mars, Pa., was fined $750 and given a suspended 90-day jail term for engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools. He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service and a 12-hour education course. Kendall responded to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranged for sexual activity with a female for $50, traveling to East Palestine on May 13 for the meeting.

A disorderly conduct charge against Victoria Burtyk, 32, state Route 170, East Palestine, for her alleged behavior during a Lisbon High School sporting event on Jan. 28 was dismissed at the request of the prosecutor due to the unavailability of the police officer.

A pretrial was set Nov. 14 for Anthony Ray, 31, Bank Street, East Liverpool, charged with assault for allegedly assaulting a man on Dec. 11, 2022 in Wellsville.

A pretrial was set Sept. 26 for Kerry Vance, 45, West 16th Street, Salem, charged with criminal damaging for allegedly pushing over a neighbor’s fence on West 16th Street, Salem early Thursday.

A sentencing hearing was set Aug. 21 for Jesse Schisler, 38, Franklin Avenue, Salem, who pleaded guilty to criminal trespass. Bond was set at $1,000 cash or surety and he was ordered to have no contact with the victim. Schisler entered a woman’s residence on July 11 in Salem and she told police she did not know him.

A pretrial was set Aug. 28 for Kenneth Mosti, 46, Hammondsville, charged with a stop sign violation and failure to comply for failing to stop initially for a traffic stop in East Liverpool, passing vehicles that were pulling over and going 3 miles before stopping for police who had lights and sirens activated.

A restitution hearing was set Nov. 14 for Robert R. Smith, last known address, Hammond School Road, Wellsville, who was fined $300 and sentenced to 10 days in jail, with credit for 10 days served, for criminal damaging and criminal trespass for trespassing on a property in Wellsville that he had been evicted from and removing a metal roof from an unattached garage.

A pretrial was set Nov. 20 for Rosie Faulkner, 35, East Martin Street, East Palestine, charged with attempted related to her attempt to possess cocaine during a traffic stop on May 19 in East Palestine for possessing a cut straw with residue she claimed belonged to a relative.

A pretrial was set Nov. 16 for Kirk Price, 55, Eighth Avenue Lacroft, East Liverpool, charged with obstructing official business, drug paraphernalia, driving under suspension and two counts improper/expired registration. During a traffic stop on Sept. 21, 2022 in St. Clair Township, Price allegedly attempted to pull away from officers after he was arrested and possessed a burnt glass pipe.

James Stine, 70, Newell, W.Va., was fined $925 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 87 days suspended and credit for three days served in a driver intervention program, for operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs and marked lanes. His driver’s license was suspended for a year, with driving privileges granted.

A pretrial was set Nov. 6 for Dutch Morris, 33, Old Irondale Road, Wellsville, charged with OVI first offense, driving under suspension, reasonable control and no motorcycle endorsement.

A pretrial was set Nov. 7 for Kage Mosti, 24, Hammondsville, charged with forfeiture, driving under suspension and unsafe vehicle.

Frank Delligati, 63, East Washington Street, Lisbon, was fined $50 for dog running at large.

Joyce Conn, 28, Canton, was fined $150 for possessing marijuana.

Dale Lowe, 32, New Middletown, was fined $150 for driving under suspension.

Sean Watkins, 46, Woodlawn Street, East Liverpool, was fined $250 for driving under suspension.

Landen Scott, 19, Alice Street, East Palestine, was fined $150 for driving under suspension.

Chandler Parish, 20, South Middle Street, Columbiana, was fined $100 for unsafe vehicle, amended from assured clear distance.

A pretrial was set Nov. 7 for Lewis Andric, 42, Artistic Drive, East Liverpool, charged with driving under suspension.

Joshua Keener, 31, Sullivan Drive, Wellsville, was fined $250 for use of unauthorized plate.

Scott Beblo, 47, Boardman, was fined $50 for speeding.

Caitlin Reyes, 22, New Brighton, Pa., was fined $100 for lighted lights, amended from failure to control.

A pretrial was set Nov. 16 for Kirk Price, 55, Eighth Avenue Lacroft, East Liverpool, charged with driving under suspension and two counts improper/expired registration.