Court News

LISBON — An East Liverpool man who entered guilty pleas to numerous charges in March, including a first-degree felony fentanyl possession charge, drug trafficking charges and obstructing official business was sentenced recently to at least five years in prison.

Marques Marquell Kimmie, 30, Pennsylvania Avenue, appeared for sentencing in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court for the two cases.

For the one case involving first-degree felony possession of a fentanyl-related compound and fourth-degree felonies of trafficking in cocaine and possession of cocaine, he was sentenced to a concurrent sentence of three years to maximum possible additional one and a half years if the state prison system deems it necessary. That sentence was ordered served consecutively to the concurrent 24 months issued for the other case for third-degree felony possession of a fentanyl-related compound and fifth-degree felonies of obstructing official business, trafficking in drugs and aggravated possession of drugs, with specifications for forfeiture of money from a drug case.

Charges being dismissed as part of the plea deal for both cases include assault, two counts trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound and drug paraphernalia.

He was also ordered to pay mandatory fines of $10,000 and $5,000 and forfeit amounts of $323 and $550. He received credit for two days served in jail.

Kimmie was accused of attempting to run back inside an East Liverpool residence while the Columbiana County Drug Task Force was executing a search warrant and slamming the door shut on a police officer’s wrist, using his body weight to hold the door shut on June 27, 2025. Kimmie also possessed several used digital drug scales with white residue and packaging material near the scales, along with preparing for sale and possessing fentanyl in an amount equal or greater than100 unit doses but less than 200 unit doses and possessing $550, buprenorphine and hydrocodone.

The other indictment said that Kimmie possessed $323, trafficked and possessed fentanyl in an amount equal or greater than 50 grams but less than 100 grams and trafficked and possessed cocaine in an amount equal or greater than 5 grams but less than 10 grams on July 21, 2025.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— An East Liverpool man accused of assaulting a woman last August was placed under community control for three years, but ordered to serve up to six months at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center.

Phillip Jackson, 69, Riverview Street, appeared for sentencing recently in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court for a lesser offense of aggravated assault, a fourth-degree felony, and misdemeanor domestic violence. A second-degree felony of strangulation was dismissed. The aggravated assault was originally felonious assault, a second-degree felony.

According to a police affidavit filed in county Municipal Court, he was accused of 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.

— Brandon Allen Green, 33, Lisbon Street, pleaded guilty to charges from two separate indictments, with the sentences ordered served concurrently for a total of 12 months in prison and credit for 55 days served in jail. The charges included fourth-degree felony receiving stolen property and misdemeanors of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, a drug of abuse or a combination of them-OVI and driving under suspension for being in possession of a stolen vehicle after crashing it on state Route 154, Elkrun Township on Aug 24, 2025. The drug charges included aggravated possession of drugs and possession of a fentanyl-related compound, both fifth-degree felonies, for possessing fentanyl and methamphetamine on March 15, 2025. A charge of possession of drugs was dismissed.

— Christian A. Radcliff, 37, Ravine Street, East Liverpool, was ordered to serve 30 days in jail, with credit for one day served, leaving 29 days to serve for the violating the terms of his probation for possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a fifth-degree felony, for possessing fentanyl on Dec. 26, 2022.

— Jeremy L. Ghrist, 43, Brilliant, pleaded guilty to nonsupport of dependents, a fifth-degree felony, with sentencing set for July 9, for failing to provide support from Jan. 1, 2023 to Dec. 209, 2024. An additional charge of nonsupport of dependents will be dismissed.

— Charles A. Slocum Jr., 34, Brookfield Avenue, Lisbon, pleaded guilty to charges from two separate cases, including fifth-degree felonies of assault and obstructing official business and fourth-degree felony failure to verify address, with sentencing set for May 27. Between Jan. 14 and Feb. 3, he failed to verify his current address for the sex offender registration. In the assault case, he tried to harm a man on July 15, 2025.

— Julius J. Vajda, 59, Hollywood, Fla., was placed under community control for one year for a lesser-included offense of misdemeanor failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, originally a fourth-degree felony charge. He was also placed under unsupervised community control for two years for two merged counts of misdemeanor operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, a drug of abuse or a combination of them-OVI, fined $565 and sentenced to eight days in jail, with credit for eight days served, leaving no time to serve. His driver’s license was suspended for one year. Vajda fled from police attempting a traffic stop in Lisbon on Oct. 25, 2025 while impaired.

— Georgeann Railing, 49, East Liverpool Road, East Liverpool, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for an amended charge of possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a third-degree felony, and misdemeanor possession of drugs. A second-degree felony charge of trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound was dismissed. The charge for possession of fentanyl was originally a second-degree felony. She received credit for 11 days served in jail and received a mandatory $10,000 fine. She was originally accused of preparing to sell and possessing fentanyl in an amount equal or greater than 10 grams but less than 20 grams and also possessing xylazine on March 17, 2024.

— Jessie M. Endicott, 43, Youngstown, was placed under community control until Feb. 5, 2027 after pleading guilty to failure to appear as required by recognizance, a fourth-degree felony, for failing to appear on Aug. 22, 2025 as required for a hearing related to a felony offense after being released on recognizance.

— Hayden M. Wright, 36, Railroad Street, East Liverpool, pleaded guilty to charges from three separate indictments, including a lesser offense of misdemeanor failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, third-degree felony having weapons while under disability and a specification for forfeiture of a weapon while under disability, and third-degree felony aggravated possession of drugs. Sentencing was set for July 10. Charges to be dismissed include tampering with evidence, resisting arrest and obstructing official business. Wright failed to comply during an incident Nov. 25, 2023, possessed methamphetamine in an amount equal or greater than bulk but less than five times bulk on July 9, 2024 and had a weapon Nov. 26, 2025 when prohibited from having one due to a previous felony drug conviction. Several guns were ordered forfeited.

— James D. Walsh, 27, Lacroft Avenue, East Liverpool, was placed under community control for three years after pleading guilty to aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, with credit for one day served. He possessed methamphetamine on Oct. 18, 2024.

— Nicholas L. Wolfe, 465, Failor Alley, East Palestine, was ordered to serve a term at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center until the program is successfully completed, then placed into drug court for up to five years after pleading guilty to aggravated possession of drugs, a third-degree felony. He also received a fine of $5,000 for possessing methamphetamine in an amount equal or greater than bulk but less than five times bulk on June 16, 2024.

Common Pleas

New Cases

County Treasurer, Lisbon, vs. William L. Catlett, Mattix Road, Lisbon, et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure sought for East Washington Street, Lisbon property.

Larissa D. Burgess, Georgetown Road, Salem, vs. Kevin T. Burgess, Stewart Road, Salem; divorce sought.

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Des Moines, Iowa, vs. Mark Miller, U.S. Route 30, Lisbon, et al.; mortgage foreclosure sought for Columbiana County property.

PennyMac Loan Services, LLC, Westlake Village, Calif. vs. Thomas J. Orlando, state Route 558, Leetonia, et al.; mortgage foreclosure sought for Columbiana County property.

County Treasurer, Lisbon, vs. Leetonia Aerie 1496 Fraternal Order of Eagles, Main Street, Leetonia, et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure sought for Main Street, Leetonia property.

County Treasurer, Lisbon, vs. Bryan D. Worth, Elkton Road, Lisbon, et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure sought for Elkton Road, Lisbon property.

Wintrust Mortgage, Coppell, Texas, vs. James Schweichler’s unknown heirs, etc, address unknown, et al.; mortgage foreclosure sought for Columbiana County property.

Docket Entries

Bank of America, N.A. vs. David C. Fusco, et al.; foreclosure order vacated, case dismissed.

Donnie L. Gillespie and Elizabeth R. Gillespie; dissolution granted.

Accelerated Inventory Management, LLC vs. Lynette Earl; $17,996 judgment granted to plaintiff.

ABL Wholesale Distributors Inc. vs. South Hills Market & Deli LLC, et al.; $6,756 judgment granted to plaintiff.

Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC vs. Nolan J. Martin, et al.; mortgage foreclosure ordered for Center Road, Alliance property.

William Martin vs. city of Salem, et al.; case settled and dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. American Health Care Inc., et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure ordered for West Main Street, East Palestine property.

County Treasurer vs. Williams Solar Holdco LLC; delinquent property taxes paid, case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Steckman Memorials Inc., et al.; delinquent property taxes paid, case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. William T. Poling, et al.; sheriff sale cancelled, defendant has payment plan through Tax Ease Ohio.

County Treasurer vs. Melinda Jean Holbrook, et al.; payment plan entered, case stayed.

Marriage Licenses

Donald L. Porter, 77, Salem, retired, and Roberta Kay Unkefer, 65, East Rochester, retired.

Mathew J. Bellito, 36, Salem, network engineer, and Gretchen M. Thomas, 26, Salem, accountant.

Daniel P. Halas, 50, Columbiana, business owner, and Candace Ann Madden, 39, Columbiana, healthcare philanthropy.

Maxwell L.Brassfield, 40, New Waterford, construction, and Megan N. Erdel, 32, New Waterford, preschool teacher.

Municipal

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, a preliminary/pretrial hearing was set May 20 for Bryan Keith Dilling, 54, last known address Rose Drive, Lisbon, charged with fourth-degree felony failure to report change of address and misdemeanor falsification for allegedly failing to notify the sheriff’s office of his change of address for the sex offender registration on May 6 in Lisbon and giving the sheriff’s address a false address for a property where he did not live.

A pretrial was set July 15 for Kurtis Edward Cooper, 39, Kingwood, W.Va., charged with engaging in prostitution, possessing criminal tools and drug paraphernalia for allegedly responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranging for sexual activity with a woman in exchange for methamphetamine and adrenal, traveling to East Palestine on May 13 for the meeting with the drugs, a meth pipe and the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.