Municipal

Richard A. Richards Jr., 50, Sherman Street, Lisbon, was fined $1.325 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 driving under suspension. A speeding charge was dismissed. His driver’s license was suspended for one year.

A pretrial was set Feb. 24 for Ricky A. Wilson, 57, Maple Street, Lisbon, charged with lighted lights required and two counts of driving under suspension.

A pretrial was set April 6 for Jason E. Snyder, 50, East Rebecca Street, East Palestine, charged with no seat belt and two counts of driving under suspension.

A charge of driving under suspension against George E Germusa, 58, Georgetown, Pa., was dismissed by the prosecutor due to defendant’s driving being a medical emergency.

Daniel M. Keller, 35, Spaite Road, East Palestine, was fined $200 for driving under suspension and a tail lights violation.

Michael N. Woods, 62, Smithfield Street, East Liverpool, was fined $250 for driving under suspension.

Nicholas K. Todd, 33, Boardman, was fined $30 for no seat belt, with a charge of traffic control devices dismissed.

Court News

LISBON — A Pennsylvania man caught in a sex for hire sting in 2023 remains not currently competent due to being unable to understand the nature and objective of the legal proceedings against him.

Columbiana County Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Washam again found that Steven R. Stark, 47, Susquehanna, Pa., wasn’t competent based on an evaluation by the Forensic Psychiatric Center of Northeast Ohio.

The state was granted time to investigate the probability of restoring the defendant to competency if inpatient hospitalization services are provided at Heartland Behavioral Health. A status hearing is now set for Feb. 26.

Previously, the judge ordered the least restrictive treatment available considering public safety and Stark’s treatment needs related to restoration, with outpatient weekly psychoeducational services through the Forensic Psychiatric Center of Northeast Ohio.

In September 2024, Stark entered a guilty plea to attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, a fifth-degree felony. Charges of third-degree felony compelling prostitution, fifth-degree felony possessing criminal tools and misdemeanor engaging in prostitution were to be dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

He was originally scheduled for sentencing on Dec. 19, 2024, but the hearing was continued until Jan. 10, 2025 then continued again until March 6, 2025 when the competency evaluation was ordered. In May 2025, he was found not competent.

Stark was accused of responding to a posted undercover ad of an adult female and 15-year-old female on a known prostitution website and arranging to have sexual conduct with both females in exchange for $320, then arriving in East Palestine on Aug. 7, 2023 for the meeting where he was met by police.