Municipal Court

LISBON — Recently in Columbiana Municipal Court, a preliminary hearing was set Sept. 5 for an East Liverpool man, charged with fifth-degree felony failure to verify residence after a conviction of arson. Ross, who was convicted of arson in 2017, allegedly failed to report his address to the sheriff’s office or respond to two mailed warnings. Ross is required to provide his current address annually.

James Houshour, 31, West Pershing Street, Salem, was fined $150 for driving under suspension.

A pretrial hearing was set Nov. 12 for William Kindle, 32, West State Street, Salem, charged with theft. Kindle allegedly failed to scan items totaling $327 over a span of 42 transactions from Feb. 28 to April 1 while employed at the Salem Walmart.

A pretrial hearing was set Oct. 21 for Matthew Rudder, 36, Wilbert Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with obstructing official business and theft. Rudder allegedly walked away from a traffic accident on state Route 11 in St. Clair Township on Aug. 6. He later told officers he was not driving the vehicle and provided a fake name. Rudder was found to have an active warrant. On March 4, Rudder was accused of not returning a carpet-cleaning machine he rented from Dollar General in East Liverpool.

Lisa Boyd, 61, Main Street, Wellsville, was fined $150 for disorderly conduct and sentenced to five days in jail for yelling at officers and refusing to leave a residence in East Liverpool on June 23.

Tammy Knox, 49, Grandview Street, East Liverpool, was fined $925 for physical control and failure to control amended from OVI. Knox was also sentenced to 20 hours of community service and 30 days in jail with credit for three days served and 27 suspended.

Lester Bain, 56, Jacksonville, Florida, was fined $100 for equipment violation amended from speed.

A pretrial hearing was set Aug. 19 for Eric Mayfield, 25, Lacroft Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with violation of a protection order. Mayfield allegedly messaged the co-workers of the protected party several times on July 21.

Michael Howard, Youngstown, was fined $150 and sentenced to 30 days in jail with one day served. for drug possession of drug abuse instruments for being found with syringes on his person on Aug. 7 in East Liverpool.

Todd Dean, 43, Aetna Street, Salem, was fined $200 for drug paraphernalia and license forfeiture amended from driving under suspension. He also received a 30-day suspended sentence. Dean was found to be in possession of a pipe during a traffic stop in Salem on June 7.

Rebeckah Pirl, 28, Longs Church Road, Columbiana, was fined $100 for speeding.

Jacob Robert, 60, Washington Street, Newell, was fined $875 for physical control amended from OVI. Robert was also sentenced to 90 days in jail with 87 suspended and credit for three days served.

Andy Husk, 40, Beechwood Street, East Liverpool, charge of assault dismissed.

Brent King, Toronto, 65, was fined $250 and sentenced to 45 days in jail suspended for engaging in prostitution. A charge of possessing criminal tools was dismissed. King agreed to exchange $100 for sexual activity after answering an undercover and traveled to East Palestine to do so around Feb. 24.

A pretrial was set Oct. 15 for Jerry McRobie, 52, Carrollton, charged with theft. McRobie allegedly left Smith Oil in Lisbon without paying for several items on Aug. 6.

A pretrial hearing was set Aug. 22 for Matthew Palmer, 49, Navarre, charged with engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools. Palmer allegedly agreed to exchange $160 for sexual activities with an undercover agent and traveled to Salem on Aug. 6 to do so.

Kerry Lytle, 48, Lisbon Street, East Liverpool, was fined $1,375 for physical control and endangering children. She was also sentenced to 40 hours of community service and 120 days in jail with credit for three days served and 87 suspended.

Zachary Cline, 32, Oak Grove Road, Wellsville, was fined $180 for driving under suspension.

Scott Johns, 44, Creek Road, New Waterford, was fined $150 for reckless operation amended from OVI.

Common Pleas

New Cases

US Asset Management INC vs. Donzell Gaston; Default judgement sought.

Docket Entries

Discover Bank vs. Jeremy Sternagle; Judgement of $15,409 granted.

County Treasurer vs. Margaret Weddle, et al; Payment plan complete, case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Don Cain, et al; Foreclosre stayed pending completion of payment plan.

Grand Jury

LISBON — An Arizona man accused of possessing images of minor children engaged in sexual acts was one of 22 open indictments returned by the Columbiana County Grand Jury.

The grand jury met for two days this week hearing from 48 witnesses, covering 48 cases and issuing 22 open indictments, 27 secret indictments and one no bill on Wednesday. Secret indictments aren’t revealed until the defendant is served with the paperwork. A no bill means the grand jury chose not to indict the defendant in question for the charge presented.

Vincent John Bianconi, 34, Tucson, was indicted on three counts of fourth-degree felony pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person and misdemeanors of engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools. Bianconi allegedly responded to an undercover ad placed by an agent on a known prostitution website and requested a woman meet him in his semi truck for sex acts in exchange for $30 and arrived at the meeting location in East Palestine on July 4 in his semi truck wearing only a robe. In his possession was $50 and the cell phone used to make the arrangements, which was seized. An agent with the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force recovered images of child pornography on the device.

Other defendants issued open indictments included:

— Toby Ragsdale, 53, Scio, third-degree felony failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer for allegedly fleeing on a motorcycle from St. Clair Township Police attempting a traffic stop on June 16 in St. Clair Township.

— Teresa Marie Whitehead, 50, Youngstown, third-degree felony tampering with evidence and misdemeanors of obstructing official business and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia for allegedly concealing a glass pipe with residue in her sleeve after a traffic stop on Jan. 27, 2021 when she was a passenger in Salem. She had the glass pipe in her possession and also gave police several fake/false social security numbers and a fake/false last name, admitting later there was a warrant for her arrest.

— Anthony Schaffer, 37, Youngstown, fourth-degree felony improper handling of firearm in a motor vehicle and third-degree felony having weapons while under disability for allegedly possessing a loaded 9mm handgun in his vehicle during a traffic stop on May 5 in East Liverpool while prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a previous drug conviction.

— Ryan Geho, 30, Mattix Road, Lisbon, third-degree felony failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer, fifth-degree felony vandalism and misdemeanor use of unauthorized plate. When Columbiana police attempted a traffic stop on his motorcycle, Geho allegedly fled at high rates of speed and after ramming the police cruiser and crashing into two parked vehicles, his motorcycle crashed.

— Isaac Hickman, 19, Southeast Boulevard, Salem, third-degree felony failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and misdemeanor underage consumption and menacing for allegedly being highly intoxicated in the area of East State Street and Southeast Boulevard in Salem on Jan. 27 while underage. While in custody, he allegedly attempted to walk out of the booking area at the Salem police station.

— Randy May, 46, Mill Street, Leetonia, fourth-degree felony assault for allegedly striking a deputy in his side and then striking him again during an incident at his residence when deputies responded for a person having a mental health crisis on April 11 in Leetonia.

— Sydney Panza, 25, Beaver, Pa., fourth-degree felony assault on a peace officer for allegedly pushing a Salem police officer and kicking him in the back of the legs while at the department in Salem in the custody of Leetonia police on June 26.

— Jamie Rickerd, 36, Ravine Street, East Liverpool, two counts of fourth-degree felony assault and fifth-degree felony harassment with a bodily substance. Rickerd allegedly was transported to an area hospital after threatening to harm herself. She reportedly later hit and kicked several nurses and spit in a doctor’s face.

— Robert Ross Jr., 35, South Street, Homeworth, fifth-degree felony theft for allegedly removing 13 items valued at $3,598 from another person’s room at the residence where he was staying on June 6 in Homeworth.

— Peter John Oyler, 64, Mechanicsburg, Pa., third-degree felony compelling prostitution and fifth-degree felony possessing criminal tools for allegedly responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website of an adult female and a juvenile and arranging for sexual activity with both in exchange for $280, arriving in East Palestine on June 17 for the meeting.

— Bryan Gipson, 40, Youngstown, fifth-degree felony possession of cocaine and misdemeanors of engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools. On Jan. 11 in East Palestine, Gipson showed up for an arranged meeting for alleged sexual activity with a female in exchange for cocaine after responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website.

— Larry G. Moore II, 50, North Canton, fifth-degree felony possession of drugs and misdemeanors of engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools. Moore allegedly requested sexual conduct from an undercover agent for an agreed upon price of $140 and drove to Salem on Feb. 16 for the meeting. When taken into custody, during a search of his person, a clear capsule-like cylinder with a powder substance was located and he allegedly said it was fake meth that he was going to use as a form of payment regarding the prostitution, according to a police affidavit. Lab tests found that the white powder substance contained methamphetamine.

— John Kolcun, 59, Warren, third-degree felony tampering with evidence and misdemeanor illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia for allegedly trying to hide a meth pipe after being placed under arrest for another charge on June 14 in Columbiana.

— Jarred Chestnut, 32, West California Avenue, Sebring, first-degree felony aggravated burglary, third-degree felony having weapons while under disability and misdemeanor aggravated menacing for allegedly trespassing in a Continental Drive, Salem apartment, threatening the resident with a handgun, grabbing him by the neck and chest and threatening to put him in a trunk and make him disappear on June 20. Due to a previous felony conviction, Chestnut was prohibited from having a weapon.

— Davon Moats, 21, St. Clair Avenue, East Liverpool, third-degree felony failure to verify change of address for allegedly failing to notify the sheriff’s office as of June 25 that his address changed after vacating a condemned residence in East Liverpool, which as a registered sex offender he’s required to do.

— Robert Simms, 32, Ohio Avenue, East Liverpool, fourth-degree felony strangulation and fifth-degree felony domestic violence following an incident at his home on May 22. Simms allegedly ran into a neighbor’s home accusing a female of threatening to stab him. The victim allegedly had fought back and caused injuries to his face after he punched her in the head and began to strangle her.

— Christy Lynn Dawson, 45, Holliday Street, East Liverpool, second-degree felony strangulation, fourth-degree felony endangering children and misdemeanor domestic violence for allegedly placing her hands around a male’s neck and applying pressure, causing him to have trouble breathing on June 30 in East Liverpool.

— George L. Taylor, 64, state Route 14, East Palestine, fifth-degree felony domestic violence for allegedly pushing a kitchen table into a woman’s abdomen, knowing she was pregnant, on June 18 in Unity Township.

— Emilio Quinones, 52, North Lincoln Avenue, Salem, fourth-degree felony domestic violence for allegedly grabbing a woman by her neck with both hands, causing her to pass out on June 24 in Salem.

— Luke Worden, 40, Independence Square, Wellsville, first-degree felony burglary and third-degree felony domestic violence. During an argument at Independence Square with the mother of his children, Worden allegedly busted a window in the kitchen from outside, then kicked in the back door and entered the residence, slamming the woman to the ground, pulling her hair and punching her in the back.