Common Pleas

New Cases

County Treasurer, Lisbon, vs. David Bryson, Yeager Drive, Wellsville, et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure sought for Yeager Drive, Wellsville property.

County Treasurer, Lisbon, vs. Adam Newbold, West Lincoln Way, Lisbon, et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure sought for West Lincoln Way, Lisbon property.

Docket Entries

Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC vs. Michael Martin, et al.; writ of possession granted, sheriff ordered to seize and secure possession of Haessly Road, Hanoverton property and post notice.

Anne Goist and Kevin Goist; dissolution granted.

Tammy Lynn Jones Hancock and Tommy Hancock; case dismissed.

Jeannette Weibush vs. Kenneth Weibush; divorce granted.

Allison Folsom and Brandon Folsom; dissolution granted.

Rachelle Macias and Jeremie Macias; dissolution granted.

Court News

LISBON — A Washingtonville man found not guilty by reason of insanity last month for felonious assault and other charges was granted conditional release to the community, with mental health treatment one of the requirements.

David Kirby, 33, West Main Street, appeared recently in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court for a hearing regarding the conditional release, with Judge Megan Bickerton noting he’s a mentally ill person subject to court order. The conditional release includes many terms along with the mental health treatment and case management, including living at the Washingtonville residence.

A review hearing was set for June 16 next year.

Kirby had been accused of attacking a sheriff’s deputy on a call in Salem Township and then a corrections officer at the Columbiana County Jail after his arrest. He was charged with felonious assault, a first-degree felony, fourth-degree felony assault and misdemeanor resisting arrest for allegedly striking a deputy in the face multiple times and attempting to cause physical harm by means of a metal ink pen after being caught trespassing near a pond March 12 on a Salem Township property. While being taken to the ground, he allegedly continued to throw punches at the deputy and resisted by pulling out the taser barbs after being tased.

He was also charged with assault, a fifth-degree felony, for the incident on March 13 against a corrections officer at the county jail.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— A new sentencing hearing was held to correct the sentence for Donna Jean Potts, 35, Avondale Street, East Liverpool, for third-degree felony aggravated possession of drugs and two counts of misdemeanor endangering children when she possessed methamphetamine in an amount equal or greater than bulk, but less than five times bulk and put two kids at risk, ages 7 and 9 years old, on July 28, 2021. The sentence was corrected to 12 months instead of 15 months in prison for the drug charge, with 180 days each in jail for the endangering counts, but to be served at the same time as the prison term. Last month, she had also been sentenced to 18 months in prison for third-degree felony burglary, and 180 days each for misdemeanors of assault and arson, with the terms to be served concurrently, at the same time, but consecutive to the case involving drugs and endangering children. She received credit for 149 days served. A first-degree felony aggravated burglary charge was dismissed. Potts had been accused of using a propane torch to destroy several items in an East Liverpool home and assaulting the resident on Feb. 26 this year.

— Shaun Uscianowski, 46, Cleveland Street, Salem, was sentenced to seven months in prison for possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony, with a specification for forfeiture of money from a drug case, for allegedly possessing cocaine and $30 on Sept. 2, 2022. The forfeiture of $30 will be handled separately. This prison term was ordered served at the same time as an 18-month sentence he received in February for one count of aggravated possession of drugs, a third-degree felony, three counts of aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, and two counts of fifth-degree felony possession of drugs. Uscianowski was accused of possessing $22, an amount of methamphetamine equal or greater than bulk amount but less than five times the bulk amount, buprenorphine, THC, MDMA, methamphetamine and clonazepam. The charges stemmed from a drug raid by the Columbiana County Drug Task Force and Salem police at his home on May 17, 2022.

— James L. Wilson, 58, Clark Avenue, Wellsville, was ordered to spend 275 days in the county jail, with credit for 181 days already served, leaving a balance of 94 days still to serve for violating his probation for nonsupport of dependents, a fifth-degree felony. His probation was dishonorably terminated. Wilson failed to pay child support for one child from July 4, 2021 to July 2, 2023.

Municipal

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, cases against Lonnie David Cunningham, 31, Lincoln Avenue, East Liverpool, were bound over to the county grand jury for fourth-degree felony receiving stolen property and misdemeanors of obstructing official business, disorderly conduct, operating a vehicle impaired first offense, failure to stop after an accident, reasonable control and no seat belt. Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers investigating a traffic crash involving a stolen vehicle on Dec. 7 in Yellow Creek Township learned that Cunningham was the alleged driver and brought him back to the scene, but he refused to identify himself. The vehicle he was driving had been reported stolen. A preliminary/pretrial hearing was set Jan. 13 for Cunningham for charges of second-degree felony burglary and misdemeanor disorderly conduct for allegedly trespassing in an occupied structure in East Liverpool with the alleged purpose to commit theft on Nov 22 and for a separate incident.

A case against Donald C. Fiore, 58, North Ellsworth Avenue, Salem, was bound over to the county grand jury for third-degree felony domestic violence and fourth-degree felony strangulation, with a charge of misdemeanor violation of a protection order dismissed. Fiore was accused of allegedly grabbing a woman by the neck and squeezing, then striking her, causing a laceration on her lip and red marks to her neck, then throwing her to the ground in Salem on Nov. 28.

Frank M. Goch, 52, Creston, was fined $750 and given a suspended 90-day jail term for engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools for requesting sexual conduct from an undercover agent in exchange for $160 and traveling to Salem on Jan. 23 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession. He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service and an online prostitution prevention course.

Peter Arthur Huskes, 50, Baldwin, Wisc., was fined $750 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 89 days suspended and credit for one days served, for engaging in prostitution, with a possessing criminal tools charge dismissed. He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service and an online prostitution prevention course. Huskes was accused of responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranging for sexual activity with a female in exchange for money, then traveling to East Palestine on June 26 for the meeting.

Ryan Butler, 39, West Wilson Street, Salem, was fined $250 and sentenced to 60 days in jail, with credit for three days served, leaving a balance of 57 days to serve in jail for misdemeanor unauthorized use of a motor vehicle amended from a felony of grand theft auto. Butler was a passenger in a vehicle parked and running with the keys in the ignition when the driver was in Save-A-Lot in Lisbon on Sept. 16 and drove off in the vehicle without permission.

Johnathan Vinkler, 48, Youngstown Pittsburgh Road, Petersburg, was fined $300 and sentenced to 60 days in jail, with 58 days suspended and credit for two days served for criminal trespass and obstructing official business. He was ordered to complete 80 hours community service and to stay away from the victim. Charges of disorderly conduct and driving in violation of driving restriction were dismissed. Vinkler was accused of entering a woman’s East Palestine property without permission and causing a disturbance by knocking loudly and attempting to enter the locked front door, remaining when asked to leave on May 5.

A pretrial was set Dec. 23 for Matthew Hawken, 31, Toronto, charged with obstructing official business for allegedly refusing to follow police commands to stop and then running away on foot on Aug. 24 in East Liverpool. An affidavit said he was found behind a shed and ordered to the ground, then he attempted to flee again and was tased.

Candice DeSanzo, 45, North Market Street, East Palestine, was fined $400 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 179 days suspended and credit for one day served, for aggravated trespass amended from endangering children and criminal trespass amended from obstructing official business. She was ordered to complete 60 hours community service and have limited contact with the victim. DeSanzo was accused of allowing a child to exit the home unknowingly and enter North Market Street at Highland Avenue, East Palestine wearing only a diaper and T-shirt on April 1. She was also accused of being dishonest with an East Palestine police officer who responded to a report of her and a man who has a protection order against yelling at each other in the back yard on Aug. 1. She claimed she had not seen him in two weeks and that she was arguing with her son, who left. Police then parked a street away and approached the residence on foot, finding both DeSanzo and the man in the back yard.

All 30 counts of zoning violations were dismissed against Cagney Springer, 35, Pennsylvania Avenue, East Liverpool, for allegations of operating a commercial logging business at a property on Pennsylvania Avenue, East Liverpool in violation of city zoning code in April and May. Costs were taxed against the defendant.

All 30 counts of zoning violations were dismissed against Serena Miller, 33, Pennsylvania Avenue, East Liverpool, for allegations of operating a commercial logging business at a property on Pennsylvania Avenue, East Liverpool in violation of city zoning code in April and May. Costs were taxed against the defendant.

A pretrial was set March 3 for Kathleen Witmer, 54, West Southern Avenue, Columbiana, charged with operating a vehicle impaired, OVI breath first offense and speeding.

Kurt Brown, 44, Garfield Avenue, East Palestine, was fined $1,050 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 150 days suspended, leaving a balance of 30 days to serve in jail for OVI third offense (merged with other OVI), no license and expired registration. His driver’s license was suspended for two years and he was ordered to complete 40 hours community service.

Steven Douglas, 47, Main Street, Wellsville, was fined $100 for a tail lights violation. Charges of OVI first offense and OVI refusal with prior within 20 years were dismissed.

Madison Frank, 21, Pearl Street, Leetonia, was fined $875 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 87 days suspended and credit for three days served in a driver intervention program, for OVI, with another OVI charge dismissed. Her driver’s license was suspended for one year, with driving privileges granted. She was ordered to complete 40 hours community service.

Scott Gaskill, 57, Lisbon Street, East Liverpool, was fined $875 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 87 days suspended and credit for three days served in a driver intervention program, for OVI, with another OVI charge dismissed. His driver’s license was suspended, with driving privileges granted, and he was ordered to complete 20 hours community service.

Devin Decker, 36, Youngstown, was fined $975 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 87 days suspended and credit for three days served in a driver intervention program for OVI and reasonable control. His driver’s license was suspended for one year, with driving privileges granted. He was ordered to complete 40 hours community service.

Seaira Rae Moore, 19, Depot Street, Rogers, 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 OVI and reasonable control. Another OVI charge was dismissed. Moore’s driver’s license was suspended for one year and she was ordered to complete 40 hours community service.

Kaitlyn McDevitt, 35, Smithfield Street, East Liverpool, was fined $175 for assured clear distance and reckless operation amended from OVI. Another OVI charge was dismissed.

Monica Novak, 53, Edgewood Drive, Columbiana, was fined $450 for stopped school bus.

Zachary Nastari, 21, Hanna Drive, Hanoverton, was fined $350 for driving under suspension and reasonable control.

Chloe Freedy, 22, West Middletown Road, Columbiana, was fined $40 for traffic control devices.

Michael Reese, 58, Akron, was fined $70 for driving under suspension and a tail lights violation.

Mateo Pablo Domingo, 21, Third Street, Salem, was fined $150 for no driver’s license.

Malik Marrow, 26, Youngstown, was fined $200 for driving under suspension and speeding.

Donte Glover, 39, Warren, was fined $150 for an equipment violation amended from improper turn.

A pretrial was set Feb. 20 for Elizabeth Shultz, 35, West Ninth Street, East Liverpool, charge with driving under suspension.

A pretrial was set Jan. 13 for George Moore, 52, Cannons Mill Road, East Liverpool, charged with no valid license and use of unauthorized plate.

Grand Jury

LISBON — A Lisbon man accused of multiple felony counts related to his alleged possession of nude images of children was one of 17 defendants openly indicted by the Columbiana County Grand Jury on Monday.

Matthew Spack, 38, state Route 172, was charged with two second-degree felony counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person, five counts of fourth-degree felony pandering obscenity involving a minor or impair person and seven counts of fifth-degree felony illegal use of minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance.

According to a police affidavit filed in county Municipal Court, Spack was accused of creating, reproducing or publishing videos depicting children engaging in sexual activity. When officers executed a search warrant at his house, images depicting minor females in a state of nudity were found on his cell phone. The date listed on the indictment was Nov.13, 2024.

The grand jury report noted that grand jurors met for two days, starting last week, and reported out on Monday after examining 54 witnesses in 51 cases. There was one superseding indictment, 18 open indictments (two for one person), and 32 secret indictments. Secret indictments do not become public until the indictment is served to the defendant.

The superseding indictment was issued against Christopher Brink, 44, Franklin Avenue, Salem, who was previously charged with having weapons while under disability, a third-degree felony. The indictment now also includes aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, and a specification for forfeiture of money in a drug case for an incident Dec. 6, 2023 when he allegedly possessed $85 and methamphetamine and had a weapon despite being prohibited from having a weapon due to a previous felony drug conviction.

Other open indictments included:

— Branden Robinson, 40, West Ninth Street, East Liverpool, felonious assault, a second-degree felony, third-degree felony tampering with evidence and misdemeanor criminal damaging for allegedly pointing a loaded handgun and pulling the trigger in an attempt to physically harm another man in a fit of rage Oct. 19 in East Liverpool. The tampering charge stemmed from him allegedly throwing a spent shall casing out of the window of his vehicle while fleeing the scene. He also allegedly smashed the windshield out of the man’s car.

— Todd Ritchie, 47, North Ellsworth Avenue, Salem, third-degree felony failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and unclassified misdemeanor of operating a motor vehicle or motorcycle without a valid license for alleging fleeing from police attempting a traffic stop on July 26 in Salem while he was operating a motorcycle.

— Jason Ramsey, 23, Akron, fourth-degree felony receiving stolen property and misdemeanor obstructing official business for allegedly being in a stolen vehicle, a 2005 Toyota Camry, on Oct. 24 in Salem, with the key in his pocket, using the vehicle without permission and then running from the vehicle when police arrived.

— William Barrett, 43, Grant Street, Lisbon, charged in two separate indictments, one for fifth-degree felony breaking and entering for allegedly trespassing in a garage and taking a fuel can in St. Clair Township on Oct. 30 and one for second-degree felony burglary and fifth-degree felony theft for allegedly breaking into a woman’s garage in East Liverpool and taking several items on Nov. 11.

— Andrew Hunley, 48, Youngstown, fifth-degree felony breaking and entering and misdemeanor possessing drug abuse instruments for allegedly entering a garage and taking a fuel can on Oct. 30 in St. Clair Township. Hunley also allegedly possessed a baggy of hypodermic needles.

— Timothy Franklin Gibbs, 36, College Street, East Liverpool, fifth-degree felonies of breaking and entering and complicity in the commission of an offense for allegedly trespassing in the Craft Treasurers & Boutique store in East Liverpool on Oct. 24, aiding and abetting others in the theft of $1,365 worth of money and goods.

— William Dale Jacquet, 30, Canton, second-degree felony burglary and fifth-degree felony theft for allegedly breaking into a woman’s garage in East Liverpool on Nov. 11 and taking multiple items.

— Indya Spann, 24, Commerce Street, Wellsville, second-degree felony complicity in the commission of an offense, fifth-degree felony complicity in the commission of an offense, and misdemeanor driving under suspension, for allegedly being the driver for two others accused of breaking into a woman’s garage in East Liverpool and taking several items on Nov. 11.

— Kerry Lytle, 48, Lisbon Street, East Liverpool, fifth-degree felony theft for allegedly failing to pay the proper price for multiple items at the Calcutta Giant Eagle from April 18 to Aug. 25.

— Preston English, 31, Densmore Avenue, East Liverpool, third-degree felony tampering with evidence and misdemeanor obstructing official business for allegedly failing to come out of a house in East Liverpool on Nov. 2 when police officers had a warrant for his arrest. He was found hiding in a bath tub in the residence. During a pat down before being transported to the county jail, he allegedly tried to kick away a baggy of suspected narcotics that fell from his shorts to the ground.

— Lacey Riley, 31, Lexington Avenue, Salem, third-degree felony failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer for allegedly fleeing from police attempting a traffic stop in Salem on Aug. 9.

— Sterling Anthony Henry, 26, Minerva Street, East Liverpool, third-degree felony having weapons while under disability and misdemeanor obstructing official business for allegedly possessing a loaded handgun when police took him into custody at the site of an East Liverpool property where the Columbiana County Drug Task Force was executing a search warrant on Oct. 15. Officers had taken him to the ground and a knife was found in his pocket, then he was seated on the ground and started messing with his waist band, when an officer noticed the handle of a handgun under his leg. He was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a previous conviction.

— Richard T. Wright, 29, McKinnon Avenue, East Liverpool, third-degree felony failure to provide notice of change of address for allegedly failing to notify the sheriff’s office on Sept. 9 that he had moved from Lincoln Avenue, East Liverpool, which he’s required to do as a registered sex offender.

— Melanie Watkins, 43, Canton, fourth-degree felony promoting prostitution and misdemeanor soliciting for allegedly soliciting sexual conduct for an agreed upon price of $100 from an undercover agent and transporting another woman for a sex for hire arrangement, then driving the other woman and herself to Salem for the meeting on Sept. 14.

— Christina Butler, 34, Canton, fourth-degree felony promoting prostitution and misdemeanors of possessing criminal tools and soliciting for allegedly posting an ad on a known prostitution website and soliciting sexual conduct from an undercover agent posing as a purchaser of sex for $400, which included gas money. During an undercover phone conversation, she also told the agent she posted an ad on the same website for another woman to solicit sexual conduct from him, then traveled to Salem on Sept. 14 for the meeting.

— Nicholas Wolfe, 45, Washington Street, Lisbon, misdemeanors of domestic violence and aggravated menacing for allegedly grabbing a woman by the throat, pushing her to the ground, causing her to hit her head and kicking her in the head during a domestic on Oct. 15 in Salem. The prosecution requested the case be transferred back to county Municipal Court since both charges are misdemeanors.