LISBON — A Newton Falls man accused of soliciting sex while HIV positive was one of several defendants issued open indictments this week by the Columbiana County Grand Jury.

Brenston Thompkins, 28, Newton Falls, was charged with third-degree felonies of engaging in solicitation after a positive HIV test, attempted felonious assault and tampering with evidence, fifth-degree felony possessing criminal tools and misdemeanor engaging in prostitution. Thompkins allegedly responded to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranged to have sexual acts with a female in exchange for methamphetamine, traveling to East Palestine for the meeting Nov. 10. Thompkins was HIV positive and had HIV medicine in his possession.

The grand jury met for two days and issued 15 open indictments, one superseding indictment and 30 secret indictments. A secret indictment is not made public until the defendant is served.

The superseding indictment was issued against Tia Miller, 34, Martin Avenue, East Liverpool, who had been indicted previously for third-degree felony failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and misdemeanor drug paraphernalia for allegedly failing to stop during an attempted traffic stop by St. Clair Township Police on Oct. 1 and possessing a burnt glass pipe and crystal like substance in a pill bottle. The new charges included aggravated trafficking in drugs and aggravated possession of drugs, both second-degree felonies, for allegedly packaging for sale and possessing methamphetamine in an amount equal or greater than five times bulk amount, but less than 50 times bulk on Oct. 1.

Other open indictments issued included:

— Bryan Jeffries, 35, Cannons Mill Road, East Liverpool, felonious assault, a second-degree felony, for allegedly punching a man, then getting on top of him and repeatedly punching him in the face and head after an argument about property lines on Dec. 7 in Liverpool Township.

— Michael Esenwein, 38, North Pleasant Drive, East Palestine, fifth-degree felony theft for allegedly presenting fraudulent receipts totaling $1,702 to the Norfolk Southern assistance center for reimbursement for alleged hotel stays from March 22 through April 15.

— David Gamble, 34, Avondale Street, East Liverpool, fifth-degree felonies of breaking and entering, vandalism and possessing criminal tools and misdemeanors of theft, criminal trespass and three counts criminal damaging. On Nov. 29, Gamble was allegedly located on the third floor of the Kent State University building in East Liverpool, along with an ax used to break the glass door to make entry. On Nov. 24, he was seen on video inside Nikki’s Market in East Liverpool and bent the fan blades on the air conditioning unit.

— Greggory Marriner, 35, Thomas Road, Lisbon, fourth-degree felony strangulation and misdemeanors of resisting arrest, endangering children and three counts of domestic violence. He was accused of strangling one victim and striking another in the head during an altercation on Dec. 1 in Lisbon, making a third victim believe she would be harmed. One of the victims was a juvenile. He also allegedly attempted to force his way out of a police cruiser and pulled away from officers during his arrest.

— Trenton Gill, 21, New Cumberland, W.Va., fifth-degree felony failure to stop after an accident and third-degree felony vehicular assault for allegedly attempting to pass on a double yellow line and causing a head on collision with another vehicle, fleeing the scene on foot on May 6 in Madison Township on state Route 45. Gill allegedly caused serious physical harm to a couple after striking their vehicle.

— Rico Terrell, 50, Cincinnati, fourth-degree felony promoting prostitution for allegedly being involved in a sex-for-hire meeting in East Palestine on Oct. 14.

— Rusty Altman, 51, Cream Ridge Road, Lisbon, fifth-degree felony violation of a protection order for being in a Lisbon residence on Dec. 5 when he wasn’t supposed to be there due to a protection order against him.

— Joshua Huey, 36, Niles, third-degree felony having weapons while under disability, fifth-degree felony improper handling firearms in a motor vehicle and possession of fentanyl-related compound, two counts fourth-degree felony receiving stolen property and misdemeanors of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs and OVI refusal with prior within 20 years. The charges stemmed from an Oct. 8 traffic stop in Leetonia when Huey allegedly possessed a loaded firearm under the driver seat in a vehicle reported stolen out of Trumbull County. He also possessed two stolen guns and fentanyl.

— Hunter Congrove, 20, state Route 45, Lisbon, fourth-degree felony receiving stolen property and misdemeanors of using weapons while intoxicated and resisting arrest for having a gun that did not belong to him while he was impaired and for running from police who had responded to a person unresponsive at the Save A Lot grocery store in Wellsville on Dec. 8. He refused treatment and officers then noticed the barrel of a gun pointing out held between his side and his arm. He said the gun was not his and when placed in handcuffs, he took off running.

— Christopher Byers Jr., 29, West Wilson Avenue, Salem, fourth-degree felony strangulation and misdemeanors of domestic violence and endangering children for allegedly putting his hands around a woman’s throat and choking her and covering her mouth and nose to prevent her from calling for help on Nov. 18 in Salem, creating a risk to a child.

— Nicholas Faulk, 34, Florence Street, East Liverpool, third-degree felony failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer for allegedly fleeing from police attempting a traffic stop on Aug. 22 in Salineville.

— Angela Walsh, 43, LaCroft Avenue, East Liverpool, fifth-degree felonies of complicity in the commission of an offense and possessing criminal tools for allegedly entering an unoccupied residence on Hammond School Road, Madison Township, on Oct. 7. She was allegedly caught on a security camera on the private property with a hammer in her possession.

— William Weyand, 53, Laura Avenue, East Liverpool, fifth-degree felonies of forgery, breaking and entering, theft, and attempted grand theft of a motor vehicle. Weyand allegedly forced trespass into an unoccupied structure to steal a vehicle title and forge the owner’s signature on Dec. 10 in Elkrun Township, in an attempt to steal the vehicle.