Municipal Court

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, a case against Alexander Aratari, 36, West Martin Street, East Palestine, was bound over to the county grand jury for second-degree felony felonious assault and misdemeanor violation of a protection order. 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 Shawn Osborn, 42, Clark Avenue, Wellsville, was bound over to the county grand jury for third-degree felony strangulation and fourth-degree felony domestic violence for allegedly choking, strangling and suffocating a woman and cutting her face in the presence of a child on Aug. 4 in East Liverpool.

A case against Joseph Ward, 32, Poland, doing business as Southern Style Renovations, was bound over to the grand jury for fourth-degree felony theft for allegedly failing to complete the work for a home renovation after the customer had already paid a $9,000 deposit on Aug. 25, 2021 and $6,235 second payment on Sept. 28, 2021. He had a 2023 conviction in Mahoning County for the same course of conduct., the affidavit said.

A case against Michael Cunningham, 43, Broadway Circle, East Liverpool, was bound over to the county grand jury for third-degree felony compelling prostitution, fourth-degree felony attempted unlawful sexual contact with a minor, and fifth-degree felonies of possessing criminal tools, importuning and disseminating matter harmful to juveniles. He’s permitted to have contact with juvenile members of his family with other adults present. Cunningham requested sexual conduct from an undercover agent posing as a 15-year-old female for a price of $80 and arrived in Salem on July 26 for the meeting.

A case against Steven Richard Stark, 44, New Milford, Pa., was bound over to the county grand jury for third-degree felony compelling prostitution, fourth-degree felony attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, fifth-degree felony possessing criminal tools and misdemeanor engaging in prostitution. Stark allegedly responded to a posted undercover ad of an adult female and 15-year-old female on a known prostitution website, arranged to have sexual conduct with both females in exchange for $320 and arrived in East Palestine on Aug. 7 for the meeting.

A case against Christian Henry, 20, Salem Unity Road, Salem, was bound over to the county grand jury for fourth-degree felony improper handling firearms in a motor vehicle for allegedly having a loaded gun in his vehicle during a traffic stop on July 27 in Salem. A pretrial was set Nov 30 for a charge of no valid license against him.

A preliminary hearing was set Aug. 24 for Victoria Monge, 39, Spring Hill, Fla., charged with fourth-degree felony possession of drugs for allegedly being in a vehicle with another person during a drug buy and possessing methamphetamine in her ID case on Aug. 16 in East Palestine.

A pretrial was set Nov. 14 for Brent Brown, 33, Cuyahoga Falls, charged with engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools for allegedly requesting sexual conduct from an undercover agent in exchange for $100, then driving to Salem on Aug. 11 for the meeting.

A pretrial was set Nov. 16 for Rick Taylor Burkes, 28, Butler, Pa., charged with possessing criminal tools and engaging in prostitution for allegedly arranging to have sexual activity with a female in exchange for $140 after responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website, then driving to East Palestine on July 16 for the meeting.

A pretrial was set Nov. 16 for Jordan Michael Smith, 36, Alliance, charged with engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools for allegedly requesting sexual conduct form an undercover agent in exchange for $150, driving to Salem on Aug. 10 for the meeting.

Dorian Lowrey, 48, Enon Valley, Pa., was fined $100 and sentenced to two days in jail, with credit for two days served, for obstructing official business for refusing to provide identification or his date of birth to the Crestview School Resource Officer on Aug. 17 who was attempting to identify him and check for warrants. The deputy learned from personnel that there was a warrant for him out of Pennsylvania.

Sentencing was set Aug. 28 for Ashlee Boley, 20, Walnut Street, Salem, who pleaded guilty to domestic violence for striking a relative during an argument at a Walnut Street, Salem residence on Aug. 16.

A pretrial was set Nov. 16 for Diedre Hunter, 39, Salineville Road, Salineville, charged with assault for allegedly assaulting a woman and hitting her with a thick glass bowl on April 3 in Salineville.

A pretrial was set Aug. 28 for Austin M. Carter, 24, Ambrose Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with violating temporary protection order for allegedly yelling at a woman who had a protection order against him on Aug. 9 in Wellsville.

Lateasha Brown, 40, Akron, was fined $400 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 89 days suspended and credit for one day served for possessing criminal tools, obstructing official business and soliciting for posting an ad soliciting sex for hire on a known prostitution website and arranging to have sexual activity with an undercover agent in exchange for $470. When Brown arrived in East Palestine on Aug. 7 for the meeting, she started trying to drive away when approached by marked police units, only stopping when being blocked in and then refusing to exit the vehicle. She was ordered to complete 20 hours community service.

Rusty Ray Altman, 50, Cream Ridge Road, Lisbon, was fined $500 and sentenced to 20 days in jail, with credit for 11 days served, for aggravated menacing, criminal trespass, driving under suspension and speeding. Altman was accused of threatening people with bodily harm and damaging their property on Cream Ridge Road, Lisbon on Aug. 6 and then went on their property yelling at them after being told by deputies to stay off of the property.

Timothy Lodge, 34, West Pershing Street, Salem, was fined $1,850 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 120 days suspended and credit for 19 days served, leaving 41 days remaining in jail, for operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs, false information, two counts driving under suspension and two counts of speeding. His driver’s license was suspended for three years and he was ordered to complete 20 hours community service. The charges stem from traffic stops on May 7, 2022 and June 25, 2022.

Christopher Pierce, 36, Annesley Road, East Liverpool, was fined $1,505 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 80 days suspended and credit for 10 days served, for two counts of OVI, and single counts of driving under suspension and reasonable control. His driver’s license was suspended for one year, with driving privileges granted. He was also ordered to complete 60 hours community service.

A pretrial was set Nov 6 for Storm Eileen Ward, 21, West Pershing Street, Salem, charged with OVI first offense, OVI breath first offense, reasonable control and driving while texting.

A pretrial was set Aug. 31 for Danny Shultz, 56, Cliff Drive, Salem, charged with OVI third offense, OVI above .238 urine third offense and reasonable control.

A pretrial was set Nov. 14 for Rachel Lee Giles, 36, state Route 14, East Palestine, charged with OVI first offense, OVI breath first offense and left of center.

A pretrial was set Nov. 9 for Kimberly S. Jackson, 38, Glasgow Road, Wellsville, charged with driving under suspension.

A pretrial was set Nov. 7 for Samuel Dutting, 21, Youngstown, charged with no driver’s license.

Christopher Pierce, 36, Annesley Road, East Liverpool, was fined $50 for open container.

Steven Spargo, 28, East School Street, Salem, was fined $150 for driving under suspension.

Justin Dickey, 35, Warren, was fined $200 for driving under suspension and speeding.

Matthew Rudder, 34, Birch Road, East Liverpool, was fined $150 for driving under suspension.

Common Pleas

New Cases

Lacey Fink, Oak Street, Salem, and Terrence Fink, Franklin Avenue, Salem; dissolution sought.

Docket Entries

Johnny Myers vs. CMI Industry Americas Inc., et al.; case settled and dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Kevin Arnold, et al.; payment plan entered, case stayed.

Kristi Hamilton and Brian Hamilton; dissolution granted.

Farmers National Bank vs estate of Douglas Weaver, deceased, et al.; mortgage foreclosure ordered for Lisbon Street, East Liverpool property.

Court News

LISBON — In Columbiana County Common Pleas Court, a Canfield man who tested positive for drugs after the date of his original sentencing hearing was sentenced Wednesday to 10 months in prison.

Terry Hughes II, 43, Canfield, appeared before Judge Scott Washam who ordered the prison term for charges of aggravated possession of drugs and possession of fentanyl-related compound, both fifth-degree felonies.

According to the court entry, Hughes had been scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 3, but the hearing was continued so he could be drug tested. He subsequently tested positive for methamphetamine and fentanyl, the entry said.

Hughes had entered guilty pleas to the two charges in June. Charges of possessing drug abuse instruments and drug paraphernalia were dismissed. Hughes possessed methamphetamine and fentanyl-related compound on Sept. 8, 2021.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— Alec Berardi, 23, Coraopolis, Pa., was placed on probation for three years after pleading guilty to improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle, a fourth-degree felony, for having a loaded handgun in the vehicle during a traffic stop April 27, 2022 in Columbiana.