Common Pleas

New Cases

County Treasurer, Lisbon, vs Ronald Kissel, Glen Murnie, Md. and Fairfield Avenue, Columbiana; delinquent property tax foreclosure sought for Fairfield Avenue, Columbiana property.

County Treasurer, Lisbon, vs. Ted Cobbs, Knox School Road, Alliance, et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure sought for Knox School Road, Alliance property.

County Treasurer, Lisbon, vs. Melanie Lamb, Salem Grange Road, Salem, et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure sought for Salem Grange Road, Salem property.

Homer Smith, Chestnut Street, Leetonia, vs. Distinctive Details, Inc., Boise, Idaho and Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, Columbus; appeal of claim denial for additional allowance.

Docket Entries

Robert Mergenthaler vs. Randall Carl Courtwright, et al.; case settled by agreement of parties, quitclaim deed issued from Jean Courtwright to Randall Carl Courtwright invalid, property on Buck Road, Alliance vested to Robert Mergenthaler pursuant to transfer on death designation affidavit, claims against Randall Carl Courtwright and Patricia Blasiman dismissed.

J.P. Morgan Mortgage Acquisition Corp. vs. Jennifer Birchak, et al.; judgment vacated, case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Tammy Metzgar, et al.; delinquent property taxes paid, case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. David McElhaney, et al.; delinquent property taxes paid, case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Chad Jones, et al.; payment plan entered, case stayed.

Court News

LISBON — A Rogers man accused of possessing child pornography entered guilty pleas recently in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court as part of a felony plea agreement.

John W. Chaffin Jr., 35, state Route 154, pleaded guilty to six second-degree felony counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person and four fourth-degree felony counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person. Five counts of the fourth-degree felony charge will be dismissed.

According to the plea agreement, the prosecution will recommend a total prison term of 14 years at sentencing, which is scheduled for Feb. 12.

Chaffin possessed pornographic images involving minors during an incident Dec. 14, 2023 and during execution of a search warrant at his residence on Feb. 29, 2024.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— Kristy Dillard, 45, Commerce Street, Wellsville, pleaded guilty to a lesser-included offense of second-degree felony possession of cocaine, with a specification of forfeiture of money from a drug case. The charge was originally a first-degree felony. Sentencing was set for April 11. The plea was for possessing cocaine in an amount equal or greater than 20 grams but less than 27 grams on Feb. 6, 2024 when she also possessed $6,800. A charge of first-degree felony trafficking in cocaine will be dismissed.

— Peter John Oyler, 64, Dillsburg, Pa., pleaded guilty to a lesser-included offense of attempted compelling prostitution, a fourth-degree felony, with sentencing set for April 11. He was originally charged with third-degree felony compelling prostitution. A fifth-degree felony charge of possessing criminal tools will be dismissed. Oyler responded to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website of an adult female and a juvenile and arranged for sexual activity with both in exchange for $280, arriving in East Palestine on June 17, 2024 for the meeting.

— Sarah Graham, 22, East Main Street, East Palestine, pleaded guilty to aggravated possession of drugs, a third-degree felony, with sentencing set for April 11. She was accused of possessing methamphetamine in an amount equal or greater than bulk but less than five times bulk on March 8, 2023.

— Trenton Gill, 22, New Cumberland, W.Va., pleaded guilty to aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, with sentencing set for Feb. 20, for possessing methamphetamine on Oct. 13, 2023.