Court News

LISBON — A Columbiana man charged for breaking into a vacant residence in East Palestine was placed on an intervention plan for 24 months after pleading guilty to a lesser fourth-degree felony burglary charge.

Tyler Kolesar, 21, Crestview Road, was originally charged with third-degree felony burglary for the Jan. 22 incident when he and two others were found inside the South Market Street, East Palestine property after police discovered it was barricaded from the inside with a back door open. There had been complaints about people breaking into the structure and stealing items, according to an affidavit.

Kolesar entered the plea and was sentenced recently in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— Randy H. Minor, 60, Irondale, was placed on an intervention plan for 24 months after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony, for possessing cocaine on Dec. 16, 2021.

Municipal

LISBON — Scott McAleer, 55, Alice Street, East Palestine became the latest resident charged with theft and falsification related to alleged fraudulent hotel bills sent to Norfolk Southern for reimbursement.

In Columbiana County Municipal Court, McAleer appeared for arraignment for the two fourth-degree felony charges, with a preliminary hearing set for Dec. 14. According to a police affidavit, McAleer allegedly presented canceled hotel reservations to Norfolk Southern for payment between April 1 and July 14. He would make a reservation online, obtain the total amount of the stay, then cancel the reservation and present the fictitious reservation to Norfolk Southern, receiving $15,419 for the fake hotel stays from the assistance center set up after the February train crash.

A case against Jason Ryhal, 39, Jimtown Road, East Palestine, was bound over to the county grand jury for fourth-degree felony domestic violence for allegedly slamming a woman to the ground and slamming her head off of the floor while on the ground, then strangling her, requiring a trip to the hospital on Sept. 15 in East Liverpool.

Devon Sherwood, 24, Independence Square, Wellsville, waived extradition as a fugitive from justice facing four charges in California for allegedly possessing matter depicting a person under 18 in sexual conduct, harmful matter sent with intent of seduction of a minor, content of a minor with intent to commit a sexual offense and annoy/molest a person believed to be a child under 18 years old. He was placed in jail on Oct. 26 and the warrant was discovered from California.

Jarrod Westover, 23, North Market Street, Lisbon, was fined $250 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 160 days suspended, leaving 20 days to serve for attempted possession of drugs, a misdemeanor, amended from possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. He was also ordered to complete 20 hours community service. Westover possessed methamphetamine in his backpack outside Columbiana High School on April 12 when he was asking people for a ride and police responded. He was also fined $100 for attempted use or possession of drug paraphernalia for possessing a small baggy with a crystal substance in his backpack in Salem on Sept. 10.

Christopher Reynolds, 36, Backer, Fla., was fined $250 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 30 days suspended and credit for 60 days electronically monitored house arrest for obstructing official business. He was also ordered to complete 50 hours community service. He was also fined $1,650 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, prohibited acts and reasonable control. For the prohibited acts, the sentence was 180 days, with 179 suspended and credit for one day served. His driver’s license was suspended for 14 months. The charges stemmed from an Aug. 17, 2022 traffic stop in Columbiana when he flushed the toilet twice when told not to while urinating in a cell toilet, hiding possible evidence.

A pretrial was set Nov. 16 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 in a Wellsville residence on Oct. 17.

Kaitlin Hagedorn, 22, Cincinnati, was fined $400 and sentenced to five days in jail, with credit for five days served, for soliciting and possessing criminal tools for offering sex for hire on a known prostitution website and arranging to meet an undercover officer for sexual conduct for $500, traveling to East Palestine on Oct. 14 for the meeting.

Kristina Avis, 39, Jefferson Street, Salineville, was fined $550 and sentenced to 30 days in jail, with 22 days suspended and credit for eight days served, for disorderly conduct, amended from aggravated menacing, and disorderly conduct, amended from domestic violence and assault. A charge of criminal damaging was dismissed. She was ordered to complete 20 hours community service and stay away from the victims. The charges stemmed from September incidents in Salineville when she threatened to kill a man and damaged a door and also tackled and struck two people several times at Kiwanis Park.

A pretrial was set Jan. 22 for Kaleb Stillwell, 18, Harvey Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with assault for allegedly striking a juvenile in the face and threatening to kill him on Oct. 15 in East Liverpool.

A pretrial was set Feb. 1 for Bobby Jo Staley, 40, Elkton Road, Lisbon, charged with OVI first offense, OVI breath first offense ad marked lanes.

A probation violation hearing was set Nov. 1 for Michael Wilson, 53, Alliance for allegedly violating his probation for charges of engaging in prostitution, possessing criminal tools and possession of drugs. The sex for hire incident occurred March 20 when he offered $50 and methamphetamine to an undercover officer in exchange for sexual activity.

Austin Piper, 24, North Lima, was fined $900 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 87 days suspended and credit for three days served in a driver intervention program for physical control, amended from OVI, and plate light. He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service and his driver’s license was suspended for 270 days.

A pretrial was set Jan. 25 for Samantha Ward, 38, state Route 7, New Waterford, charged with illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing a plate with white residue on it, three rolled dollar bills and two red snort straws during a traffic stop in Columbiana on Oct. 25.

A pretrial was set Jan. 25 for Wayne Zeitler, 70, Carter Road, New Waterford, charged with illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia. Zeitler allegedly possessed a plate with white powder residue on it during a traffic stop in Columbiana and also had a rolled dollar bill with white powder inside it.

A charge of reasonable control against Danny Brandle, 31, Riverview Street, East Liverpool, was dismissed at the request of the prosecutor.

A pretrial was set Feb. 1 for Anyshia Stewart, 20, Wampum, Pa., charged with reasonable control.

A pretrial was set Nov. 9 for Dylan Davis, 27, Main Street, Leetonia, charged with fictitious plates and driving under suspension.

Christopher Dorsey, 42, Erie Street, East Liverpool, was fined $150 for driving under suspension.