Common Pleas

New Cases

Karen Ann Runkles, East High Street, East Palestine, vs. Matthew Runkles, North Martin Street, East Palestine; divorce sought.

Desiree Beadnell, Township Road, Salineville, vs. Richard Beadnell Jr., Lincoln Street, Salineville; divorce sought.

Freedom Mortgage Corporation, Fishers, Ind., vs. Christina Fidurski, state Route 170, East Liverpool, et al.; mortgage foreclosure sought.

Kent State University c/o State of Ohio, Columbus, vs. William Bernard Johnson, East State Street, Salem; collection sought of $5,040 debt.

Municipal

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, a preliminary hearing was set Dec. 4 for Melissa Blake, 41, Quay Road, Negley, charged with fourth-degree felonies of falsification and theft by deception and fifth-degree felony forgery for allegedly collecting $19,690 from Norfolk Southern by nefarious means.

On Feb. 5, Blake, also known as Moo, came to the Norfolk Southern Assistance Center in East Palestine set up in response to the Feb. 3 train derailment and presented a receipt for $700 for a rent deposit for a Market Street, East Palestine apartment signed by a landlord, but the signature was allegedly determined to be forged. She also allegedly claimed during an interview with a magazine that she moved into the apartment the night before the train derailment, placed there by the Community Action Agency, but that also was allegedly false and she admitted she made up the story to the news media.

She also allegedly provided a fake rental agreement for a camper in Rogers for reimbursement for $1,050.

A case against Jerry Lee Womack, 39, Youngstown, was bound over to the county grand jury for third-degree felony possession of drugs, and misdemeanors of engaging in prostitution, possessing criminal tools and drug paraphernalia. On June 17 in East Palestine, he allegedly possessed 12.97 grams of methamphetamine after arriving for a meeting he had arranged for sex acts with a female in exchange for methamphetamine. He had responded to an undercover ad posted on a known prostitution website. The female was actually a police officer posing as a female online.

Justin Burr, 30, 12th Street, Wellsville, was fined $1,500 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with credit for nine days served, for multiple cases including misdemeanors of domestic violence and resisting arrest for choking a woman during a domestic incident on Oct. 10 in Wellsville and resisting when officers arrested him. A strangulation charge was dismissed.

Other charges included three counts each of failure to register dogs and failure to confine dogs for 2021 and 2022 incidents, obstructing official business for running from Wellsville police trying to serve him with a warrant on June 4, 2021, fleeing and eluding and criminal damaging for running from Wellsville police on June 8, 2021 and damaging a fence gate, endangering children and obstructing official business for fleeing on foot from a traffic stop in Wellsville and leaving a child in the vehicle on Oct. 24, 2021 and domestic violence for pushing a woman to the ground while she was holding a child on May 26, 2021 in Wellsville.

Cases were dismissed against Amber Padula, 40, West State Street, Salem, for fourth-degree felony assault of an officer and misdemeanor resisting arrest at the request of the prosecutor and with agreement of the police officer. She had been accused of fighting police while they were attempting to arrest her, striking an officer while being told to calm down during an incident Sept. 17 in Salem.

Robert B. Cruz, 30, Columbia Street, Leetonia, was fined $600 and given a suspended 90-day jail term for obstructing official business, menacing and two counts of disorderly conduct, amended from two counts endangering children, for allegedly sending a threatening text to a male victim in Salem on Feb.1 and saying he was coming to the residence, then taking off when police attempted a traffic stop, fleeing at a high rate of speed with two small children in the vehicle. He was ordered to complete 40 hours community service and stay away from the victim. He was also fined $925 and sentenced to 30 days in jail, with 27 days suspended and credit for three days served for a driver intervention program for operating a vehicle under the influence and slow speed, with his driver’s license suspended for one year. The incident occurred May 17 in Leetonia.

John Graham, 61, Southern Street, Negley, was fined $500 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 135 days suspended, leaving 45 days to serve, for aggravated menacing and having weapons while intoxicated. He was ordered to perform 20 hours community service. Graham was accused of threatening to shoot two emergency medical service workers during an incident June 25 in Negley and possessing a firearm while intoxicated.

A pretrial was set Oct. 26 for Sean Ramsey, 28, Chester Avenue, Wellsville, charged with domestic violence for allegedly putting a woman in a chokehold from behind, picking her up and dragging her back into a Wellsville property on Oct. 17.

A status hearing was set for Jan. 29, with a jury trial set for Feb. 7, for John Paul Peuterbaugh, 49, Miller Street, Kensington, charged with engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools for allegedly responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranging to have sexual activity with a female in exchange for $80, arriving in Salem on Nov. 11, 2022 for the meeting.

A pretrial was set Dec. 28 for Carmen Russo, 38, Canfield, charged with possession of criminal tools and engaging in prostitution for allegedly responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranging for sexual activity with a female in exchange for $140, then traveled to East Palestine on Oct. 14 for the meeting.

Christopher Sanders, 39, Ravenna, was fined $500 and given a suspended 90-day jail term for possession of criminal tools and disorderly conduct, amended from engaging in prostitution. He was ordered to complete 40 hours community service and a 12-hour online prostitution prevention course. Sanders was accused of responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website of a mother and daughter and arranged for “quick visit” with them in exchange for $100, arriving in East Palestine on April 30 for the meeting.

Channing Spiegel, 46, Canton, was fined $400 and given a suspended 30-day jail sentence for possession of criminal tools and disorderly conduct, amended from engaging in prostitution. He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service and a 12-hour online prostitution prevention course. Spiegel responded to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranged for sexual activity with a female in exchange for $140, then traveled to East Palestine on Jan. 13 for the meeting.

A sentencing hearing was set Oct. 26 for Timothy Moore, 64, Soquel, Calif., who pleaded no contest to domestic violence. He was ordered to have no contact with the victim. Moore was accused of inflicting physical harm on a woman on Oct. 18 in St. Clair Township.

Dominique Smith, 24, Warren, was fined $640 for failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer, possession of marijuana, two counts driving under suspension, speeding, driving under 12-point suspended and restricted tinted glass for charges from traffic stops on Nov. 3, 2022 in St. Clair Township and a February 2023 traffic stop.

Keith Poulton, 53, South Lundy Avenue, Salem, was fined $150 and given a suspended 30-day jail term for illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia for possessing a glass pipe with burn marks and residue during a traffic stop on July 19 in Salem. He was also fined $150 for driving under suspension and a charge of domestic violence was dismissed by the prosecutor due to the victim’s whereabouts being unknown. The incident allegedly occurred Feb. 15 in Salem when he was accused of punching a woman in the face.

A pretrial was set Nov. 21 for Treyven Johnson, 23, Bradshaw Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with criminal trespass for allegedly messing with city equipment in East Liverpool on Sept. 25.

A pretrial was set Oct. 23 for Chase Perkins, 25, Roosevelt Avenue, Salem, charged with criminal damaging for allegedly cutting the cables to one of the security cameras at the Foundry in Salem on May 20, as seen on video.

Dana McGilvary, 40, Henry Avenue, East Liverpool, was fined $150 and sentenced to seven days in jail, with credit for one day served, for criminal trespass for trespassing in a condemned residence with signs posted for no trespassing on Oct 18 in East Liverpool.

Rickey Smalley, 62, state Route 644, Kensington, was fined $250 for a health code violation, with the fine suspended pending review to determine if the defendant obtains a grant for sewer hookup. Smalley had been charged after failing to connect to an accessible sanitary sewer system as required by Columbiana County health district board order on March 16, 2022.

A pretrial was set Jan. 18 for Jada Pack, 37, Erie Street, East Liverpool, charged with two counts each of failure to pay city income tax and failure to filed city income tax return for allegedly failing to pay city income tax in 2018 and 2019 in East Liverpool and failing to file a city income tax return in 2020 and 2023 in East Liverpool.

Louis Erlenbach, 37, Vale Street, East Liverpool, was fined $1,050 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 150 days suspended, leaving 30 days to served, for OVI second offense and assured clear distance. His driver’s license was suspended for three years and he was ordered to complete 20 hours community service.

A pretrial was set Jan.18 for Jamelle Jones, 35, Youngstown, charged with OVI first offense, OVI breath first offense and white light to the rear.

A pretrial was set Jan. 4 for Brant Matz, 25, Carole Circle, Salem, charged with OVI first offense, OVI breath first offense, left of center and stop sign.

A pretrial was set Dec. 12 for Timothy Deily, 46, Allendale Avenue, New Waterford, charged with OVI first offense and tail lights.

A pretrial was set Dec. 28 for Kade Byland, 25, Franklin Avenue, Salem, charged with OVI first offense and speeding.

Michelle Chafins, 56, Imperial Drive, East Liverpool, was fined $875 and sentenced to 30 days in jail, with 27 days suspended and credit for three days served in a driver intervention program for OVI. Her driver’s license was suspended for one year and she was ordered to complete 40 hours community service.

A pretrial was set Jan. 9 for Renee Knepper, 41, Canfield, charged with traffic control devices.

A pretrial was set Dec. 28 for Lori Smith, 53, Lewis Road, Salineville, charged with no valid license and use of unauthorized plate.

A pretrial was set Nov. 7 for Shannon Baker, 49, Parkview Drive, Columbiana, charged with driving under suspension.

A pretrial was set Dec. 21 for Marcus Reed, 21, Summitville, charged with use of unauthorized plate and failure to reinstate.

A pretrial was set Oct. 30 for David Young, 44, Padgett Road, East Palestine, charged with failure to stop after an accident.

William Barker, 37, Irish Ridge Road, East Liverpool, was fined $225 for driving under suspension and child restraint.

Gregory Allen Bolton Jr., 23, Y & O Road, East Liverpool, was fined $150 for driving under suspension.

Gregory Allen Bolton Sr., 44, Y & O Road, East Liverpool, was fined $150 for driving under suspension.

Michelle Hall, 46, West Washington Street, Lisbon, was fined $150 for driving under suspension.

Matthew Powell, 29, Avondale Street, East Liverpool, was fined $250 for a stop sign-school bus violation.

Garrett Case, 37, Benton Road, Salem, was fined $100 for lighted lights, amended from traffic control devices.

A pretrial was set Jan. 29 for Eddie Edwards, 26, Youngstown, charged with driving under suspension and speeding.

Court News

LISBON — A Boardman area contractor accused of taking money from clients and failing to do the work pleaded guilty recently to three counts of theft, a fifth-degree felony, with sentencing set for Jan. 4.

John P. Bartos, 40, Youngstown, entered the pleas to three separate indictments in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court.

Bartos deprived Cara and Glenn Dilworth of $3,500 from June 29, 2022 to Jan. 11, 2023, deprived James and Lyndsey Walker of $2,500 from July 25, 2022 to Jan. 9, 2023, and deprived Kimberly Salmen of $2,500 from Feb. 22, 2022 to March 15, 2023.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— Jenny Olmstead, 47, Lincoln Avenue, East Liverpool, was again ordered to undergo a competency evaluation, this time through an ordered 20-day evaluation at Heartland Behavioral Health. Common Pleas Court Judge Megan Bickerton said in a court entry that a doctor from the Forensic Psychiatric Center of Northeast Ohio reported the defendant refused to talk to her during an evaluation that had been set in September and suggested the order for the 20-day evaluation. A probation violation for a domestic violence charge remains pending for a Feb. 18, 2021 incident. An order for an evaluation had been issued through county Municipal Court also, where she’s charged with assault for allegedly causing physical harm to multiple nurses and two paramedics at East Liverpool City Hospital on Aug. 2.

— Douglas Freed, 43, Hadley Road, East Palestine, was placed on probation for three years, with credit for one day served, for aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, for possessing methamphetamine on March 24, 2022. He was also ordered to forfeit $817 for the specification for money in a drug case.

— Angela Veglia, 38, Dyke Road, Negley, was placed on probation for 24 months, including an order to serve up to six months at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center in Lisbon, after pleading guilty to aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, for possessing methamphetamine on Sept. 7, 2021. The sentence was also for violating her probation in a breaking and entering case from 2020.

— Timothy Johnson, 42, Roller Coaster Road, Lisbon, was ordered to serve up to six months at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center in Wintersville, with his probation extended until March 24, 2027 for violating his probation for receiving stolen property and vandalism, both fifth-degree felonies, for an incident Nov. 9, 2021.

— Charles McQuillan, 64, Youngstown, was placed on probation for 30 months, including an order to serve up to six months at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center in Wintersville, during sentencing for a fourth-degree felony assault charge. During an incident July 4 in Columbiana, McQuillan had been accused of threatening to shoot the store clerks at the Marathon gas station, refused police commands to stop, resisted being handcuffed, and attempted to hit a police officer while being placed in an ambulance. Charges of aggravated menacing and resisting arrest were dismissed.

— Christian Ruble, 23, Lake Front Drive, Beloit, was placed on probation for three years, which will include up to six months at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center in Wintersville, for third-degree felony tampering with evidence and four counts of aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. The charges stem from four separate indictments, all dealing with possession of methamphetamine on March 9, 2022, March 8, 2022, Sept. 2, 2022 and May 2, 2022.