Grand Jury

LISBON — A Columbiana man accused of putting a gun in a woman’s mouth during a domestic in June was one of 20 defendants issued open indictments by the Columbiana County Grand Jury this week.

Eric Travis, 43, state Route 14, was charged with felonious assault, a second-degree felony with a firearm specification, and misdemeanors of aggravated menacing, using weapons while intoxicated and two counts domestic violence for allegedly pushing a woman to the ground and then pinning her down, putting a 9mm pistol in her mouth during an argument and also discharging three rounds from the 9mm pistol into the floor of the living room on June 27 in Columbiana. The police affidavit said a strong odor of alcohol was coming from the defendant and and the 9mm pistol had a discharged shell casing jammed in the slide and two shell casings on the floor, causing damage.

The county grand jury met for two days and reported its findings on Wednesday, issuing the 20 open indictments and 27 secret indictments. Secret indictments are not made public until the defendants are served.

Other open indictments issued included:

— Adam J. Hileman, 44, Brackenridge, Pa., felonious assault, a first-degree felony, third-degree felonies of compelling prostitution and failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, fourth-degree felony attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and misdemeanor engaging in prostitution. On Feb. 1, 2024 in East Palestine, Hileman allegedly responded to an undercover ad posted on a known prostitution website of an adult female and a 15-year-old female and arranged for sexual conduct with both females in exchange for money. When Hileman arrived in East Palestine for the meeting, he fled, purposely striking a police officer with his vehicle in an attempt to get away. He allegedly fled into Pennsylvania at speeds reaching 120 mph and was boxed in by Pennsylvania authorities, then engaged in a standoff with authorities until surrendering.

— John P. Dunlap, 41, Oakland Avenue, East Liverpool, felonious assault, a second-degree felony, fourth-degree felony domestic violence and third-degree felony having weapons while under disability for an incident Feb. 6 in East Liverpool when he allegedly pistol whipped a woman causing injury that required medical treatment.

— Lance Bishop, 19, Walnut Street, Rogers, second-degree felony robbery and misdemeanors of assault and theft for an incident May 23 in Rogers at a garage sale hosted by the victim. Bishop was accused of allegedly grabbing a money pouch from under a woman’s arm, ripping it from her and attempting to leave on a bicycle, then running on foot with the pouch containing $300 and a cell phone. The woman suffered injuries to her arm, leg and belly area and received treatment at a hospital.

— Donald Weyand V, 57, Monaca Street, East Liverpool, second-degree felony burglary and misdemeanor theft and criminal damaging for allegedly stealing a speaker from a residence on Minerva Street in East Liverpool after forcing entry and damaging the rear entry door and frame on July 19.

— Derek Calvin, 35, Canfield, second-degree felony burglary and misdemeanor criminal damaging for allegedly forcing entry into a home in Fairfield Township on March 4, damaging household items, ransacking the home and stealing some items, with his car allegedly stuck in the rear yard and left there.

— Phillip Jackson, 69, Riverview Street, East Liverpool, second-degree felonies of strangulation and felonious assault and misdemeanor domestic violence for allegedly punching a woman in the face, slamming her head against the wall and floor, stomping on her arms and ribs area and strangling her with his hands, causing her to go in and out of consciousness on Aug. 2 in East Liverpool.

— William Kiehl, 66, West Spruce Street, Lisbon, six counts of fourth-degree felony pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person and three counts of fifth-degree felony illegal use of a minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance. According to an affidavit by an agent with the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force, Kiehl allegedly downloaded one image of what appeared to be child sexual assault material on April 10, 2024 and when interviewed on July 18, 2025, admitted to uploading the image and that he had obtained other images and child sexual assault material. On July 18, 2025, the task force executed a search warrant at his Lisbon residence and found images stored on a computer which depicted minors in a state of nudity.

— Michael Harrington, 35, Chester Avenue, Wellsville, fourth-degree felony strangulation and misdemeanor assault for allegedly putting his hands around a woman’s throat and putting her in a choke hold on July 13 in Wellsville.

— Tina Gardner, 36, Granite Street, Salem, fourth-degree felony improper handling firearms in a motor vehicle and misdemeanor illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing a loaded firearm in her purse during a traffic stop on July 1, along with a clear container with a purple lid with a white crystal like substance.

— Timothy Moore Jr., 28, Ashtabula, third-degree felonies of failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer and tampering with evidence for allegedly fleeing from an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper attempting a traffic stop on Aug. 2 in Elkrun Township, reaching speeds of more than 100 mph before ending on a deadend on Pennsylvania Avenue Extension in East Liverpool.

— Kevin Hupp, 29, Idaho Avenue, East Liverpool, fourth-degree felony strangulation and misdemeanor domestic violence for allegedly grabbing a woman by the throat and choking her on Aug. 10 in East Liverpool.

— Homer Carnes Jr., 46, state Route 154, Lisbon, fourth-degree felonies of domestic violence and endangering children for allegedly assaulting a juvenile by grabbing him by the neck while holding him against a trailer, striking him in the head and throwing him to the ground on July 10 in Lisbon.

— Bradley Cianni, 39, Riverside Avenue, Wellsville, fifth-degree felony vandalism and two counts misdemeanor criminal damaging for allegedly damaging a sink and a mattress while he was an inmate at the county jail on July 16.

— Joseph W. Perez, 43, Youngstown, fourth-degree felony promote prostitution for allegedly having an interest in an enterprise involving a woman to facilitate engagement in sexual activity on July 27 in East Palestine.

— Albert Lynch, 46, Brunswick, fourth-degree felony promoting prostitution and misdemeanor engaging in prostitution for allegedly knowingly driving a woman to Salem for a sex for hire arrangement on July 6.

— Christopher Burns, 41, Glassport, Pa., third-degree felony tampering with evidence and misdemeanors of engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools for allegedly responding to an undercover familial ad on a known prostitution website of an adult mother trafficking her daughter and arranging for sexual activity with the daughter for $140, sending $60 of the fee to an undercover account through a Cash App, then arriving in East Palestine for the meeting on Aug. 8. He was found in possession of a phone concealed under a pile of personal belongings in his truck and was prohibited from owning a smart phone as a condition of his probation for a case involving video recording a minor in a state of unity and sexual conduct with a minor, according to an affidavit by an agent of the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force.

— George Faulkner Jr., 38, state Route 14, East Palestine, fourth-degree felonies of receiving stolen property and fraudulent actions concerning a VIN, fifth-degree felony possessing criminal tools and misdemeanor criminal damaging for allegedly possessing a stolen Jeep in Perry Township on July 24. A police affidavit said an officer noticed a recently painted blue Jeep matching a white Jeep that was reported stolen with a Pennsylvania plate parked in front of a Prospect Street, Salem apartment. The officer confirmed the vehicle was stolen and observed the vin to be covered with tape. The keys to the vehicle were allegedly found in the defendant’s pants pocket.

— Donnie Merganthaler, 26, Maryland Avenue, Salem, fifth-degree felony domestic violence and misdemeanor assault for allegedly pushing a pregnant woman multiple times threatening to hit her unless he got the car keys after an argument on Aug. 10 in Perry Township. He also allegedly struck the victim’s relative multiple times when she tried to get between them and then picked her up and slammed her to the ground.

— Tyler Wells, 37, Chestnut Street, Leetonia, fourth-degree felony domestic violence and misdemeanor endangering children for allegedly striking a juvenile in the face twice and throwing and breaking the child’s cell phone on May 26 in Leetonia.