LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, a case against Dennis Risden Jr., 46, Alliance, was dismissed for drug paraphernalia and failure to display valid sticker after Judge Tim McNicol granted the defendant’s motion to suppress and dismiss, finding that Risden’s license plate was visible and not obstructed.

Risden had been charged for allegedly possessing two glass meth pipes and a digital scale with white residue during a traffic stop on July 4, 2023 in Knox Township. An Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper testified that the reason for the stop was an obstructed license plate that he was unable to read, citing corrosion and rust over the first letter and on the registration area.

Subsequently, a search of the vehicle led to the discovery of the drug paraphernalia.

McNicol ruled that there was no evidence that any object or material was obstructing the trooper’s ability to read the plate. He noted there was some rust, but the letter was readily identifiable. Therefore, the stop was not supported by probable cause and the evidence from the search should be suppressed.

A preliminary/pretrial hearing was set June 20 for Jaime Anne Rickerd, 36, Ravine Street, East Liverpool, charged with fifth-degree felony assault on a peace officer and minor misdemeanor of animals running at large. On June 10 in East Liverpool, police responded to a report of a female freaking out on people trying to check on her. When officers asked her what was going on, she started getting agitated and started walking away, then she allegedly threw a partially filled Gatorade bottle at one officer and punched another officer in the chest. The animal at large citation stemmed from a dog allegedly being loose on June 5 in East Liverpool.

A preliminary hearing was set June 20 for Kenneth Shepard, 39, Hopedale, charged with second-degree felony discharging a firearm on or near prohibited premises and third-degree felony having weapons while under disability for an incident March 27 for allegedly discharging a gun into the floor of an upstairs apartment, with the bullet entering the downstairs’ resident’s living room 15 feet from where she was sitting on the couch watching television. A witness alleged that Shepard was decocking his revolver when it discharged into the floor. The witness ran downstairs to check on the neighbor and Shepard allegedly fled in a vehicle. He’s prohibited from having a firearm due to a previous conviction.

A preliminary/pretrial hearing was set June 20 for Luke Worden, 43, Independence Square, Wellsville, charged with domestic violence and criminal trespass for allegedly trespassing at a Columbiana Metropolitan Housing Authority property in Wellsville and slamming a woman’s wrist in the door on July 24, 2022.

Nick Rhodes, 50, old state Route 344, Leetonia, was fined $750 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 85 days suspended, and credit for two days served, leaving a balance of three days to serve in jail, for assault and resisting arrest. He was ordered to have no contact with the victim. Rhodes was accused of grabbing a man, punching him and kicking him in Salem Township on March 6.

A domestic violence charge was dismissed against John O’Connell, 58, state Route 164, Salineville, at the request of the prosecutor due to failure of the alleged victim to appear. O’Connell had been accused of allegedly pushing, shoving and trying to punch a woman during a domestic incident on Dec. 22, 2023 in Salineville.

Donald Allen Franks, 61, Akron, was fined $750 and given a suspended 90-day jail term for engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools. He was accused of requesting sexual conduct from an undercover agent for an agreed upon price of $150, then driving to Salem on March 19 for the meeting. He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service and a 12-hour online prostitution prevention course.

Michael Brooks Matheny, 54, Girard, was fined $1,500 and given a suspended 90-day jail term for two counts each of engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools from two separate incidents. He was ordered to complete 40 hours community service and a 12-hour online education course which was already completed. Matheny was accused of responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranging for sexual activity with a female in exchange for $140, then traveling to East Palestine on Oct. 30, 2023 for the meeting. He was caught in the sex-for-hire sting a second time on Dec. 31, 2023 by showing up in New Waterford for a meeting after responding to an undercover ad and arranging for sexual activity with a female in exchange for $200.

Jerome Kenneth Hasson, 61, New Castle, Pa., was fined $500 and given a suspended 30-day jail term for disorderly conduct, amended from engaging in prostitution, and possessing criminal tools. He was ordered to complete 40 hours community service and a 12-hour online prostitution prevention course. Hasson was accused of responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranging for sexual activity with a female in exchange for $180, then traveling to East Palestine on Dec. 4, 2023 for the meeting.

A pretrial was set June 24 for Daniel Queen, 28, Thomas Drive, Wellsville, charged with inducing panic for allegedly running around with a knife in his hand yelling at people that were not there at Sunrise Mobile Home Park in Wellsville on June 12. He claimed he had seven people trapped in his residence, but police found no one inside.

A status hearing was set June 24 for Collan Craig, 24, state Route 534, Salem, charged with assault for allegedly attempting to strike a man in the face in front of a deputy with the sheriff’s office on Aug. 20, 2023 in Knox Township.

A pretrial was set Aug. 15 for Ruchelle Walker, 33, Weirton, W.Va., charged with theft for allegedly selecting multiple items from different departments at the Calcutta Walmart on Aug. 24, 2020, returning eight items and receiving $87.14 in cash from customer service and also leaving with 11 items totaling $92.17 for total of $179.31 between the cash and items.

Jessica Jiminez, 44, Lincoln Avenue, East Palestine, was fined $300 and sentenced to 15 days in jail, with credit for one day served, leaving a balance of 14 days still to serve in jail for theft. Jiminez was accused of denying knowledge of a neighbor’s package that was delivered to her residence by mistake on July 12, 2023 in East Palestine. The package was found by police in a trash can near her residence and she admitted to putting it there

Angel Potts, 31, Avondale Street, East Liverpool, was fined $100 and sentenced to one day in jail, with credit for one day served, for theft for stealing a pencil holder, lotion and sponges totaling $5.36 from Dollar Tree in East Liverpool on May 23.

James Doychak, 38, Lacroft Avenue, East Liverpool, was ordered to jail for 40 days, with credit for 16 days served, for violating his probation for criminal damaging for a case from 2022.

A status conference was set June 27 for Chad Smith, 50, Y Camp Road, Lisbon, charged with domestic violence for an alleged incident July 31, 2023 when he allegedly struck a man in the face and physically pushed him off of a porch in Madison Township.

A pretrial was set Aug. 27 for Katrina Brenneman, 49, Cleveland Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with two counts of failure to file city income tax return for allegedly failing to file East Liverpool city income tax returns in 2022 and 2023.

A pretrial was set Aug. 8 for Dalton McKinnon, 22, Lacroft Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with possession of drug abuse instrument for allegedly possessing a bag with syringes in it in East Liverpool on May 21.

Charles Noel, 61, Glenn Street, East Liverpool, was fined $350 for no valid license, a turn signal violation and drug paraphernalia for possessing a plastic straw with powder residue inside it during a traffic stop Aug. 20, 2022 in St. Clair Township.

Jocelyn Birch, 28, Annesley Road, East Liverpool, was fined $250 and given a suspended 90-day jail term for failure to comply, with a reckless operation charged dismissed. Her driver’s license was suspended for 180 days. Birch pulled out of a parking lot after being pulled over by police in Leetonia, then fled, leading police on a pursuit on Dec. 17, 2023.

Matthew Pliska, 41, West Calla Road, Salem, was fined $150 and given a suspended 90-day jail term for drug possession. He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service. Pliska possessed a Suboxone pill during a traffic stop Aug 8, 2023 in Columbiana and did not have a prescription.

Noah Wheaton, 24, Pittsburgh, Pa., 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 operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs. His driver’s license was suspended for one year, with driving privileges granted.

A pretrial was set June 24 for Robert Uyselt, 54, First Street, Beloit, charged with OVI first offense and driving under suspension.

A pretrial was set Aug. 8 for Angelo Sposato, 20, Eagle Drive, East Liverpool, charged with OVI underage breath third offense, driving under 12-point suspension and marked lanes.

A pretrial was set Sept. 3 for Kimberly Parrish, 28, North Shadylane Drive, East Liverpool, charged with driving under suspension.

A pretrial was set Sept. 12 for Gena Jo Scriva-Esposito, 64, Monaca, Pa., charged with speeding.

A pretrial was set Aug. 15 for Laszlo Nagy, 55, Sarasota, Fla., charged with speeding.

A pretrial was set Aug. 13 for Matthew Howard, 19, Hanna Drive, Hanoverton, charged with loud or defective exhaust.

A pretrial was set Sept. 5 for Mary Kiehl, 39, state Route 558, Leetonia, charged with driving under suspension and use of unauthorized plate.

Ashley Marmet, 34, Wooster, was fined $100 for an equipment violation, amended from speeding.

Branden Pine, 23, Youngstown, was fined $100 for driving under suspension.

Colton Jones, 42, East Fourth Street, Salem, was fined $50 for driving under suspension.

Bocephus McElroy, 22, Ambrose Avenue, East Liverpool, was fined $50 for no valid license.

Kimberly Lagatta, 64, Aliquippa, Pa., was fined $150 for speeding.

Amanda Anderson, 29, Pancake Clarkson Road, Rogers, was fined $100 for driving under suspension.

Kelly Herold-Hall, 51, New Waterford Road, New Waterford, was fined $300 for driving under suspension and use of unauthorized plate.

Kyle Hostetler, 22, Louisville, was fined $125 for driving under suspension and expired tag.

Sue Ann Leclerc, 42, East Fifth Street, Salem, was fined $200 for driving under suspension and speeding.