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Municipal
LISBON -- In Columbiana County Municipal Court, a former promoter for the Fraternal Order of Police Quaker Lodge #88, Richard Csernik, 64, Youngstown, was fined $250 and given a suspended 30-day jail term for unauthorized use of property amended from theft for presenting the FOP with false records to receive a payment last year.
He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service and to make restitution of $1,200 to the FOP Quaker Lodge #88 within 90 days. According to a Salem police affidavit, Csernik worked as a promoter for the FOP Quaker Lodge #88 for many years, but most recently solicited financial support from the community for events that did not exist between Jan. 1, 2022 and June 15, 2023, providing the FOP with a report on Dec. 27, 2022 indicating a bank deposit was made and prompting the FOP to pay him $960 based off of previous solicitation agreements. The affidavit said the report was fictitious and a bank deposit was never made.
Cases against William Wright, 66, Avondale Street, East Liverpool were bound over to the county grand jury for third-degree felony having weapons while under disability and misdemeanors of obstructing official business and disorderly conduct for allegedly standing on another person's front porch in Columbiana on May 5 and threatening to kill himself with a self-made firearm, refusing to comply with police orders to stop what he was doing, keep his hands in the air and walk to officers to surrender. He allegedly continuously walked on and off the porch, hiding his hands and screaming at officers. He was tased and taken into custody, with a smash gun found on him, described as a pipe shotgun, along with a shell. As a convicted felon, he was prohibited from having a weapon.
A case against Brandon Black, 44, New Castle, Pa., was bound over to the county grand jury for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, a fourth-degree felony, for allegedly borrowing a woman's vehicle and failing to return it in January 2006 in New Waterford.
Cases against Christopher Tarter, 31, Akron, were bound over to the county grand jury for third-degree felony compelling prostitution, fourth-degree felony unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, fifth-degree felonies of importuning and possessing criminal tools and misdemeanor engaging in prostitution for allegedly requesting sexual conduct for an agreed upon price of $220 from an undercover agent posing as a 15-year-old female and her mother, then driving to Salem on June 2 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.
Cases against Olivia Redman, 19, state Route 7, Rogers, were bound over to the county grand jury for fifth-degree felony assault and misdemeanor assault for allegedly assaulting another inmate at the Columbiana County jail while she was an inmate, punching the woman on May 2, then striking a corrections officer who intervened, hitting her in the face and kicking her. Redman was also fined $200 and sentenced to 30 days in jail for assault, a misdemeanor, for smacking a corrections officer on the behind on April 29 while she was an inmate at the county jail.
A preliminary hearing was set June 23 for Van La Mar Evans, 19, East Cleveland, charged with third-degree felony tampering with evidence for allegedly admitting to flushing two bags of drugs down the toilet when the Columbiana County Drug Task Force was executing a search warrant a West Fourth Street apartment in East Liverpool on June 10. He was also fined $100 and sentenced to 20 days in jail for obstructing official business for failing to comply with officer commands during the drug search.
A preliminary hearing was set June 17 for Robert Simms, 33, Ohio Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with domestic violence for allegedly grabbing a woman by the arms and chest area and throwing her on the couch and breaking her necklace on June 11 in East Liverpool.
A domestic violence charge was dismissed against Shane Higley, 47, Fifth Street, Wellsville, with a notation that the prosecutor was unable to reach the alleged victim. Higley had been accused of allegedly pushing a woman and locking the door on her foot during an incident in Wellsville on May 18, 2024.
A pretrial was set June 23 for Jerry Highley, 58, James Drive, Wellsville, charged with domestic violence for allegedly punched another man in the back of the head on June 10 in Yellow Creek Township.
Erick Stewart, 34, Ravenna, was fined $400 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 155 days suspended and credit for seven days served, leaving a balance of 18 days to serve in jail for engaging in prostitution, possessing criminal tools and obstructing official business. He was ordered to complete 25 hours community service and a prostitution prevention course. Stewart was accused of requesting sexual conduct for an agreed upon price of $60 from an undercover agent and traveling to Salem on June 5 for the meeting, with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession when he was caught. As he was approached by marked Salem police cruisers with lights and sirens activated, he began to drive away from the meeting spot in the area of Howard Avenue, stopping due to backed up traffic from the Salem Super Cruise. According to the affidavit, Stewart was a convicted felon whose record included charges of aggravated burglary, abduction, strangulation and other offenses. The affidavit said he was also on a state list as a member of the Bloods gang.