Municipal

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, cases against Grant Chidester, 31, Pittsburgh, Pa., were bound over to the county grand jury for third-degree felony compelling prostitution, fifth-degree felony possessing criminal tools and misdemeanor engaging in prostitution for allegedly responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website of an adult woman and a minor girl and arranging for sexual activity with both, including the minor, for $160, then traveling to East Palestine on Dec. 12 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession, along with suspected methamphetamine.

A visiting judge will be appointed to the case of Michael L. Bess, 43, Pittsburgh, Pa., who appeared for arraignment Monday and pleaded not guilty to endangering children. Both Judge Tim McNicol and Judge Danielle Menning recused themselves due to conflicts of interest. Bess was accused of allegedly administering performance enhancing hormones via hypodermic syringe to a juvenile in April 2025.

A pretrial was set March 16 for Bryan A. Veglia Jr., 34, Ruth Street, East Liverpool, charged with domestic violence for allegedly pushing a woman to the ground during an argument on March 1 in Wellsville.

A pretrial was set April 27 for Robert E. Wiseman Jr., 40, Mogadore, charged with assault for allegedly grabbing a woman by the arm and yanking her back after she bumped into him when entering the Foundry and then punching a man in the face after he was told not to touch the woman on Feb. 14 in Salem.

A status conference hearing was set May 20 and a court trial was set June 1 for Kyle J. Gatrell, 31, Staunton Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with assault and two counts of aggravated menacing for allegedly pointing a handgun at a woman and saying he was going to shoot and kill her and her family on Nov. 22, 2025 in East Liverpool and then in St. Clair Township on Nov. 24, 2025, he allegedly pushed her to the ground and hit her in the eye and allegedly threatened he was going to get his rifle and shoot the house up with her and her family in it. According to the affidavit, St. Clair Township Police seized the rifle and the pistol and then two more pistols and all the ammunition from his residence.

A pretrial was set May 18 for Blade L. Thompson, 18, North Lincoln Avenue, Salem, charged with menacing for allegedly sending threats via social media to a juvenile in Salem on Feb. 28.

A pretrial was set May 4 for Ciehya Chyanne-Monique Shelton, 28, Youngstown, charged with possessing criminal tools, possession of drug abuse instrument, soliciting and drug paraphernalia for allegedly posting an ad on a known prostitution website offering sexual activity for hire and arranging for sexual activity with an undercover agent in exchange for money, arriving in East Palestine on Feb. 27 for the meeting. She allegedly possessed the phone used to make the arrangements, multiple hypodermic syringes, crack cocaine pipe, two plastic baggies with suspected crack cocaine and two drug folds.

Travis Benjamin Wright, 41, Rosetta Drive, Negley, was fined $550 and sentenced to 30 days in jail, with 25 days suspended and credit for two days served, leaving three days to serve in jail, with 30 days of electronically monitored house arrest ordered for disorderly conduct amended from domestic violence and resisting arrest. A charge of obstructing official business was dismissed. He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service. Wright was accused of grabbing a woman and putting her in a choke hold and then grabbing her again by the throat when she broke free on Aug. 21, 2025, making statements that he had a gun, kills people for a living and was going to kill her. The affidavit said that he said he had the gun in the bathroom and wanted her to come in there. She distracted him by telling the kids to run and she was able to get away. Wright barricaded himself inside the residence and had a standoff with police in St. Clair Township. He was apprehended and was armed with a 9mm pistol.

A pretrial was set May 6 for Julia Stephanie Jean Scott, 24, Rose Avenue, Lisbon, charged with theft for allegedly failing to pay for three items totaling $8.17 at Sheetz in St. Clair Township on Feb. 18.

A pretrial was set March 11 for Drew Kameron Browne, 26, Whippoorwill Avenue, Hanoverton, charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and failure to complay for taking a truck and not returning it on Feb. 28 from Fairfield Township without the consent of the owner, stopping all communication with the owner after demands were made for him to return the truck. He later fled from a Center Township property into the woods where he was found and placed under arrest.

Aaron M. Short, 18, Pennsylvania Avenue, East Liverpool, was ordered to pay court costs and was sentenced to 12 days in jail, with 10 days suspended and credit for two days served, for disorderly conduct amended from aggravated menacing. Short was accused of sending several threatening messages via social media and text to another man in East Liverpool on Nov. 19, 2025.

Travis R. Culler, 38, East State Street, Salem, was fined $350 for theft for stealing $186 worth of items from the Salem Walmart on Dec. 12, 2025.

Stanly Flugan, 18, West Chestnut Street, Lisbon, was was fined $250 and given a suspended 90-day jail term for theft. He was ordered to complete 80 hours community service. Flugan stole one can of Redbull from Save A Lot in Lisbon on Dec. 1, 2025.

A pretrial was set March 16 for Marlane M. Polojac, 23, charged with possession of drug abuse instrument and criminal trespass for allegedly trespassing in a condemned residence in East Liverpool on Jan. 27, 2025 and possessing several used syringes in East Liverpool on Sept. 16, 2025.

A court trial remains set March 9 for Brianna N. Marker, 34, Steubenville, charged with theft for allegedly stealing a television and a saw from the Calcutta Walmart on March 23, 2019.

De’Amonte Spencer Pagan, 26, Columbus, was ordered to pay court costs and sentenced to 30 days in jail for drug paraphernalia for possessing a crack pipe on April 10, 2025 during the execution of a drug search warrant in East Liverpool. The jail time was ordered served at the same time as the prison sentence he’s currently serving.

A pretrial was set May 18 for Kristi M. Sforzo, 39, Parma, charged with illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing a pipe during a traffic stop on Feb. 28 in Columbiana.

A pretrial was set May 4 for Kyle D. Esper, 40, Parma, charged with improper/expired registration and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing a pipe and bags of suspected drugs during a traffic stop in Columbiana on Feb. 28.

Robert Merrill Greenisen, 60, East State Street, Salem, was fined $2,850 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 120 days suspended, leaving a balance of 60 days still to serve in jail for OVI third offense and marked lanes. Charges of driving under suspension and another OVI charge were dismissed. His driver’s license was suspended for 10 years, with driving privileges granted. For a separate case, he was fined $500 for driving under suspension.

Ryan E. Omaits, 44, Mechanicstown, was fined $250 and sentenced to 30 days in jail, with 27 days suspended and credit for three days served in a driver intervention program for reckless operation amended from OVI. Another charge of OVI and traffic control devises were dismissed.

A status conference hearing was set March 17 and a court trial was set March 25 for Aaron M. Brown, 47, Canton, charged with OVI first offense and OVI breath first offense.

A pretrial was set March 9 for Paul Lee Beaver Sr., 36, Wooster Street, East Liverpool, charged with driving under suspension, use of unauthorized plate and no valid license. A probation violation hearing was also set March 9 for a 2025 case of criminal trespass.

A pretrial was set April 29 for Zachary M. English, 30, Ninth Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with a red light violation.

Steven A. Chestnut, 64, Newgarden Avenue, Salem, was fined $500 for driving under suspension.

Kevin Lee Caldwell Jr., 25, Youngstown, was fined $450 for driving under suspension, reasonable control and expired registration. Another charge of driving under suspension was dismissed.

Christy N. Rohn, 34, Benton Road, Salem, was fined $650 for three counts of driving under suspension and singles counts of driving while texting and no license amended from driving under suspension. A charge of unauthorized plate was dismissed.

David J. Welch II, 47, Vine Street, Salem, was fined $150 for driving under suspension.

Shane Horner, 34, Niles, was fined $100 for driving under suspension.

Common Pleas

New Cases

County Treasurer, Lisbon, vs. Mark Karol, Buckeye Circle, Salem; delinquent property tax foreclosure sought for Buckeye Circle, Salem property.

Ashley Kiser, Sharpsville, Pa., and Richard Kiser, Goshen Road, Salem; dissolution sought.

Huntington National Bank, Columbus, vs. Elmer J. McBane, Bill Smith Road, Wellsville, et al., mortgage foreclosure sought.

Regional Acceptance Corp, Greenville, N.C., vs. Kasey Watkins, Harvey Avenue, East Liverpool; collection sought of alleged debt of $10,864, plus $4,048 interest and $570 associated costs.

Velocity Investments, LLC, Wall, N.J., vs. Herb Beehler, West Pine Lake Road, Salem; collection sought of alleged $15,034 debt.

Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC, Coral Gables, Fla. vs. Nolan J. Martin, Center Road, Alliance, et al.; mortgage foreclosure sought.

NewRez LLC, Greenville, S.C. vs. Carly E. Ellis, Maple Street, Salem, et al.; mortgage foreclosure sought.

Select Portfolio Servicing, Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah, vs. Lisa A. Sperling, Bye Road, Rogers, et al.; mortgage foreclosure sought.

Docket Entries

Citibank, N.A. vs. Christopher L. Howells; $17,323 judgment granted to plaintiff.

County Treasurer vs. Kenley G. Cunningham, et al.; delinquent property taxes paid, case dismissed.

Dana Sue Rapp and Shawn Ray Rapp; dissolution granted.

Andrea Wasko and Matthew Wasko; dissolution granted.

Heather Ann Henthorne vs. Scott Allen Henthorne; divorce granted.

Marriage Licenses

Christopher Lee Edgell, 46, Wellsville, self employed, and Dana Nicole Reed, 37, East Liverpool, office manager.

Grant M. Menough, 23, Salem, PCC apprentice, and Violet S. Trybend, 25, Salem, unemployed.

Shannon Todd Dennis Jr., 28, Alliance, City of Alliance Street Department, and Madison Faith Brienza, 25, Alliance, restaurant server.

Austin J. Noel, 31, Salem, real estate agent, and Ellysa K. Exline, 24, Salem, sonographer.

Garret D. Callahan, 26, Columbiana, quality systems spec., and Sarah A. Rambo, 25, Columbiana, labtech/marketing.