Grand Jury

LISBON — Miguel Rodriguez, 23, Cleveland, was served Wednesday in Cuyahoga County with a secret indictment issued by the Columbiana County Grand Jury for possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony, with a specification for forfeiture of money from a drug case, for allegedly possessing cocaine and $1,454 on June 30, 2024.

Common Pleas

New Cases

Savannah Castellucci, North Benton, vs. Jacob Castellucci, Trinity Church Road, Lisbon; divorce sought.

David Beaver, State Street, Leetonia, and Anne Beaver, East Lincoln Way, Lisbon; dissolution sought.

Docket Entries

Hancock County Savings Bank vs. Victoria Jordan, et al.; case dismissed.

Absolute Resolutions Investments LLC vs. Christian Corvin; case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Patty McCutchoen, et al.; delinquent taxes paid for three parcels, with those parcels dismissed from complaint, with one parcel remaining in complaint.

County Treasurer vs. Candace White, et al.; delinquent property taxes paid, case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Valerie Sharp, et al.; Dale Property Services Penn LP, DPS Penn GP LLC and Dale Pennsylvania Royalty LP all dismissed as defendants.

County Treasurer vs. Samuel Hepfner, et al.; delinquent property taxes paid, case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. William Gaston Sr., et al.; delinquent property taxes paid, case dismissed.

Court News

LISBON — A Salem man entered guilty pleas to charges from four different drug indictments recently in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court.

Christopher Brink, 45, Franklin Avenue, pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree felony aggravated possession of drugs and two counts of fifth-degree felony aggravated possession of durgs, with sentencing set on Oct. 8.

Brink possessed methamphetamine in an amount equal or greater than bulk but less than five times bulk on July 8, 2024 and Jan. 13, 2023 and also possessed $46. He also possessed methamphetamine and $73 on Sept. 19, 2023 and methamphetamine on Sept. 5, 2023.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— Myron Youngblood, 44, Fawcett Street, East Liverpool, pleaded guilty to aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, with sentencing set on Nov. 13 for possessing methamphetamine on Sept. 21, 2024.

— Jason N. Barnes, 37, Blakely Street, East Liverpool. pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and possession of a fentanyl-related compound, both fifth-degree felonies, for possessing fentanyl and heroin on Jan. 26, 2024. Sentencing was set on Oct. 23.

Municipal

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, cases against James D. Laughlin, 34, state Route 518, Lisbon, were bound over to the county grand jury for first-degree felony kidnapping, third-degree felonies of two counts vehicular assault and one count failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and fourth-degree felony domestic violence, all related to incidents on June 29 which started in Rogers.

Laughlin allegedly became aggressive with a woman at the Rogers Food and Fuel, Depot Street, Rogers, so she ran to a friend who was driving a Jeep with other people inside. Laughlin then allegedly jumped in the van they were driving, with the woman’s unrestrained 2-year-old child inside, and allegedly intentionally rammed the Jeep with the van, then fled the area with the child still inside. Laughlin allegedly fled at a high rate of speed when an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper initiated a traffic stop in Madison Township, then drove into a yard, left the vehicle and fled on foot into a wooded lot. Misdemeanors of speeding, turn signal violation and marked lanes were dismissed.

Cases against David Todd Gamble, 36, Youngstown, were bound over to the county grand jury for second-degree felony burglary and misdemeanors of theft and criminal mischief for allegedly breaking into another man’s house in East Liverpool and stealing several items on Aug. 27. Police responded to a report of a man with a sword acting suspicious and found David Todd Gamble with the sword lying on the ground with clothing and toys spread out in the parking lots surrounding the building. He told police he removed bricks from the walkway of the alumni association buildings, broke an electrical outlet cover and removed a surveillance camera from the property.

A case against Michael Earich, 24, West Ninth Street, East Liverpool, was bound over to the county grand jury for domestic violence, a fourth-degree felony, for allegedly pulling a woman from a vehicle by her hair and tossing her to the ground, then kicking her from the doorway when she attempted to get back in the driver’s seat on Aug. 27 in East Liverpool.

A case against Christopher Dennis Harrison, 41, Austintown, was bound over to the county grand jury for promote prostitution, a fourth-degree felony, for allegedly transporting two people to East Palestine on July 27 so one of the people could engage in sex for hire.

A pretrial was set Sept. 11 for Ryan Pritt Jr., 23, Walnut Street, Rogers, charged with assault for allegedly punching, kicking and kneeing another man for several hours at a Rogers property on Aug. 17.

Kirk Price, 57, Grimms Bridge Road, East Liverpool, was found not guilty of theft and violation of a protection order after a trial to the court. A charge of criminal mischief was dismissed after the alleged victim failed to appear for the trial. The violation of a protection order charge was originally a felony. Price was accused of allegedly showing up to retrieve belongings at a protected person’s property when she was still there on March 24 and allegedly took the cell phone that she had just bought for work and was sending harassing text messages to her. He also allegedly stabbed a woman’s truck tire on Jan. 29 in East Liverpool after threatening her.

Todd James O’Hara, 48, Westville Lake Road, Beloit, was fined $1,250 and given a suspended 90-day jail term for engaging in prostitution, possessing criminal tools and physical control amended from operating a vehicle impaired. He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service and an education course. O’Hara 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 driving to East Palestine on June 13 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.

Michael Miller, 56, West Third Street, Salem, was fined $250 and sentenced to 30 days in jail, with 21 days suspended and credit for nine days served, for domestic violence and disorderly conduct. He was ordered to complete 40 hours community service and to have no contact with the victims, including through social media. Miller was accused of threatening to cause harm to another man and charging at him, yelling for him to get ready to fight. After he was told to stop, he continued to yell and make threats of violence on Aug. 21 in Perry Township.

Dustin Wilson, 34, Newell, W.Va., was fined $300 and given a suspended 180-day jail term for assault for striking a woman with a closed fist and throwing her cell phone out of the vehicle while it was in motion on Aug. 17 in East Liverpool. He was ordered to complete 30 hours community service.

A pretrial was set Dec. 8 for Michael A. Walters, 36, who listed addresses in Kimberly, Idaho and Youngstown, charged with engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools for allegedly responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranging for sexual activity with a woman in exchange for money, then traveling to East Palestine on Aug. 27 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.

A pretrial was set Nov. 20 for Jada Cheri Pack, 39, Erie Street, East Liverpool, charged with violating a temporary protection order for allegedly entering the place of employment of another woman who had a protection order against her on Aug. 27 in St. Clair Township.

A pretrial was set Dec. 11 for Lindsey Willard, 37, West Fifth Street, Salem, charged with criminal trespass for allegedly trespassing in a property that was supposed to be vacant in Salem on Sept. 3.

A pretrial was set Nov. 13 for Thomas Welsh Jr., 40, East Fourth Street, Salem, charged with criminal trespass for allegedly trespassing in a property that was supposed to be vacant in Salem on Sept. 3.

A pretrial was set Nov. 6 for Ariel Durham, 36, listed as homeless, Salem, charged with criminal trespass for allegedly being inside Speedway in Salem on Sept. 3 after previously being trespassed from the business.

A pretrial was set Dec. 8 for Eugene J. Rogers Jr., 30, Oakmont Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with litter and storage of furniture for allegedly violating East Liverpool city housing rules regarding indoor furniture being outside, along with piles of junk and debris scattered about on the East Liverpool property on Center Street on June 11.

A pretrial was set Dec. 15 for Cory Lee Cotter, 26, Park Way, East Liverpool, charged with criminal mischief for allegedly punching and kicking a woman’s bedroom door, causing damage, on May 25 in Liverpool Township.

A pretrial was set Dec. 1 for Lionel Bechard, 63, state Route 644, Salineville, charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct for allegedly recklessly driving 50 feet away from a traffic stop, then when being handcuffed after stopping, he allegedly pulled away and was issuing threats and insults to officers on Aug. 18 in Salineville.

A charge of disorderly conduct against Lewis Walker, 63, Cannons Mill Road, East Liverpool, was dismissed. The alleged incident occurred on Aug. 12 in St. Clair Township.

A pretrial was set Dec. 2 for Kevin Kerr, 45, Moore Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with abandoned commercial building code violation and six counts of prohibited acts under the commercial building maintenance and abandoned commercial building codes. Kerr allegedly on Dec. 6, 2024 violated the orders related to a commercial building he owns at 105 St. Clair Avenue, East Liverpool. According to an affidavit, the exterior of the structure is deteriorated and not properly maintained, windows remain uncovered to shield the abandoned interior from public view, the front of the structure is in disrepair with siding fallen away leaving portions of brick exposed and bricks loose and falling and a cloth awning is torn away, with the defendant allegedly failing to make any repairs or take measures to remediate the issues.

A pretrial was set Nov. 24 for Carter Davidson, 18, Manor Drive, Columbiana, charged with telecommunications harassment for allegedly sending more than 100 unwanted, harassing messages to a juvenile victim in Columbiana on Aug. 13.

Melissa Geer, 46, Waterloo Street, East Liverpool, was fined $50 for animals at large for a dog being loose on Aug. 26 in East Liverpool.

Justin Sprout, 45, Harvey Avenue, East Liverpool, was fined $300 and sentenced to 16 days in jail, with credit for 16 days served, for drug paraphernalia and left of center. During a traffic stop on July 19 in St. Clair Township, he possessed a burnt glass pipe.

Jeffrey Walker, 68, Conkle Road, Salem, was fined $980 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 87 days suspended and credit for three days served in a driver intervention program, for operating a vehicle impaired, left of center and no seat belt. Another OVI charge was dismissed. His driver’s license was suspended for one year, with driving privileges granted. He was also ordered to complete 20 hours community service.

Ryan Geho, 31, Mattix Road, Lisbon, was fined $200 for illegal plate, expired registration and unsafe vehicle. Charges of forfeiture and park on highway were dismissed.

A pretrial was set Dec. 4 for Jacen Sharp, 29, Westville Lake Campground, Case Road, Beloit, charged with OVI second offense, stop sign and no seat belt.

A pretrial was set Oct. 27 for Angela McCarthy, 46, Homestead Drive, Columbiana, charged with speeding.

Christina Bechter, 22, last known address Wood Lawn Street, East Liverpool, was fined $350 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 177 days suspended, leaving three days to serve in jail for driving under suspension and improper registration. Her driver’s license was suspended for one year and she was ordered to complete 30 hours community service.

Rick Wilson, 56, Maple Street, Lisbon, was fined $500 for driving under suspension.

Michael Kuhlen, 41, East Lincoln Way, Lisbon, was fined $100 for no license amended from suspended license.

Paula Parks, 42, Y & O Road, East Liverpool, was fined $100 for driving under suspension and traffic control devices.

Eric Reese, 31, South Elm Street, Columbiana, was fined $50 for an off road vehicle violation.