Court News

LISBON — A Columbiana man accused of possessing images of child pornography has again been found competent to stand trial.

Richard Braham, 27, West Park Avenue, had previously been found competent and without serious mental issues last fall, but his defense attorney Charley Kidder requested another evaluation in February, which was ordered but wasn’t completed.

On April 20, Columbiana County Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Washam again ordered the evaluations be done by the Forensic Psychiatric Center of Northeast Ohio.

Braham was charged last year with one count of pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person, a fourth-degree felony, and four counts of illegal use of minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance, a fifth-degree felony. All the charges stemmed from his alleged possession of the images of children in a state of nudity on Nov. 10, 2023.

A status hearing is set for June 18, with a jury trial set for July 13.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— Charles A. Slocum Jr., 34, Brookfield Avenue, Lisbon, was sentenced to two consecutive sentences of 12 months each for a total of 24 months in prison for fifth-degree felonies of assault and obstructing official business and fourth-degree felony failure to verify address. He received credit for 112 days served in jail. 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 i a detention facility on July 15, 2025.

— Eric C. Travis, 44, state Route 14, Columbiana, was placed under community control for three years and ordered to serve 23 days in jail, with credit for nine days served, after pleading guilty to aggravated assault, a fourth-degree felony lesser-included offense of felonious assault, a second-degree felony, and misdemeanor charges of using weapons while intoxicated and domestic violence. Charges of domestic violence, aggravated menacing and a firearm specification were dismissed. Travis was accused of 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, 2025 in Columbiana.

— Brett Goughnour, 51, Monaca, Pa., was sentenced to 11 months in prison after pleading guilty to charges from two separate cases, including trespass in a habitation when a person is present or likely to be present, a fourth-degree felony, a lesser offense of fifth-degree felony attempted assault (originally fourth-degree felony assault), and misdemeanors of criminal damaging, resisting arrest and menacing. He received credit for 343 days served in jail. Goughnour attempted to assault a police officer while being placed into custody in the parking lot of the Wellsville McDonald’s restaurant on June 7, 2025. Police had been called to the lot for a person who appeared intoxicated sitting in his vehicle. He told officers he was intoxicated, then started making threats toward them. When he was taken out of the vehicle, he attempted to elbow an officer, then punched the other officer in the head. He was tased twice during the altercation. During the incident, Goughnour damaged an officer’s radio. He also trespassed at a property on Sept. 8, 2025.

— Brandon R. Moore, 22, Annsley Road, East Liverpool, pleaded guilty to charges from three separate indictments, with sentencing set for June 26. Moore entered guilty pleas to improperly discharging a firearm at or into a habitation or school zone, a second-degree felony, third-degree felony burglary and fifth-degree felonies of breaking and entering and possessing criminal tools. Charges of theft, improperly discharging a firearm in a motor vehicle and a firearm specification will be dismissed. The discharging of a firearm occurred on April 13, 2023, he trespassed in a structure on May 1, 2023 and trespassed in a structure with a flashlight on May 4, 2023.

— Damien T. Phillips, 23, Ohio Avenue, Salem, was sentenced to 10 months in prison for fifth-degree felony aggravated possession of drugs and misdemeanors of resisting arrest, obstructing official business and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia, with credit for 36 days served in jail. Phillips was accused of possessing methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest and obstructing officials on Dec. 22, 2024.

— Jeffrey Meredith, 32, Wells Avenue, Wellsville, was sentenced to 10 months in prison after violating the terms of his probation for fourth-degree felony improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle and fifth-degree felony possession of a fentanyl-related compound, with credit for 123 days already served. His community control was dishonorably terminated. He had a loaded firearm in a vehicle on Oct. 19, 2021 and possessed fentanyl on March 25, 2022.

— Thomas W. Akers, 36, St. George Street, East Liverpool, was sentenced to 10 months in prison after violating the terms of probation for three counts of nonsupport of dependents, a fifth-degree felony, with credit for 55 days served. He failed to pay support for three children from July 4, 2021 to July 2, 2023.

— Robert P. Bowyer, 57, Moore Road, East Liverpool, was sentenced to nine months in prison for violating the terms of his probation for fifth-degree felonies of vandalism and possession of cocaine and third-degree felony tampering with evidence. He received credit for 99 days served. Bowyer was accused of causing harm to property on June 20 and of possessing cocaine and tampering with evidence on April 23, 2023.

— Brandon Kyle Hodges, 41, Highland Avenue, Wellsville, was sentenced to three years community control for aggravated possession of drugs for possessing methamphetamine on Jan. 11, 2024.

— Benny R. Miley, 36, Cleveland, was sentenced to 180 days in jail,with 172 days suspended and credit for eight days served after pleading guilty to two counts of permitting drug abuse, a misdemeanor lesser offense from the original fifth-degree felony charges of possession of drugs and possession of cocaine, for possessing methamphetamine and cocaine on Oct. 12, 2023.

— Lily L. Marshall, 23, North Lima, was ordered to serve seven days in jail for failing to comply with the terms and conditions of her treatment plan when she appeared for drug court for possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a fifth-degree felony. She possessed fentanyl on March 18, 2024.

— Timothy Kondik, 57, North Canton, was placed under community control for three years after violating the terms of his treatment plan and intervention for aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, for possessing methamphetamine on Jan. 10, 2025.

— Bradley J. Reeder, 44, West Lincoln Way, Lisbon, was ordered to serve three days in jail for violating the terms of his probation for two counts of aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony for possessing methamphetamine on April 1, 2024 and May 21, 2024.

Grand Jury

LISBON — Keilan A. Clinkscale, 37, Youngstown, was served Tuesday with a secret indictment issued by the Columbiana County Grand Jury for possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony, and misdemeanor possession of drugs for allegedly possessing cocaine and codeine on Oct. 6, 2025.

Common Pleas

NEW CASES

Snap-On Credit LLC, Chicago, Ill., vs. Edwin P. Schmidt, North Market Street, Lisbon; collection sought of alleged $18,902 debt.

Richard L. Nelson III, Warren, vs. Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, Columbus, and R & L Carriers Shared Services LLC, Wilmington; appeal of claim denial.

Huntington National Bank, Columbus, vs. Mark E. Elick II, Sprucevale Road, East Liverpool, et al.; money/mortgage foreclosure sought for Columbiana County property.

PNC Bank, Cleveland, vs. The East Liverpool Country Club, c/o statutory agent, David Moadus, Parkway, East Liverpool; collection sought of alleged $38,728 debt.

DOCKET ENTRIES

James Armeni Sr., et al. vs. Don Tilton, doing business as Tilton Contracting; retired Trumbull County Common Pleas Court Judge Andrew D. Logan assigned as visiting judge to handle case.

Rocket Mortgage, LLC vs. Jordan Spencer, et al.; foreclosure complaint dismissed.

Marissa Chen and Weifeng Chen; dissolution granted.

KCS Transportation, LLC, et al. vs. Estate of Robert D. Rea; defense motion for frivolous conduct sanction against plaintiff denied.

County Treasurer vs. Barbara A. Smith; delinquent property tax foreclosure ordered for Ohio Avenue, East Liverpool property.

County Treasurer vs. Betty Dorris; delinquent property tax foreclosure ordered for Pine View Place, East Liverpool property.

County Treasurer vs. Devon Reeder, now known as Backus; delinquent property tax foreclosure ordered for Annesley Road, East Liverpool property.

County Treasurer vs. Robert L. Martin, et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure ordered for Home Circle, Salem property.

County Treasurer vs. Angela C. Adkins, et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure ordered for Ohio Avenue, East Liverpool property.

County Treasurer vs. Riverview Acres Inc.; delinquent property tax foreclosure ordered for Montrose Street, East Liverpool.

County Treasurer vs. Ebury RE LLC, et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure ordered for Minerva Street, East Liverpool property.

County Treasurer vs. Tina Marie Hancock; delinquent property tax foreclosure ordered for Jackman Street, East Liverpool property.

County Treasurer vs. Renee Shields; delinquent property tax foreclosure ordered for Cornell Avenue, East Liverpool property.

County Treasurer vs. Tamara Mae Drotleff, et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure ordered for state Route 7, New Waterford property.

County Treasurer vs. Robert D. Gribben, et al.; delinquent property taxes paid, case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Ohio Luxury Builders LLC, et al.; foreclosure ordered for Homestead Drive, Columbiana property.

County Treasurer vs. Christopher A. Knox, et al.; payment plan entered, case stayed.

County Treasurer vs. William L. Catlett, et al.; payment plan entered, case stayed.

Municipal

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, a case against Wilbert E. Faulk, 67, Minerva Street, East Liverpool, was bound over to the county grand jury for third-degree felony violate temporary protection order and fourth-degree felony domestic violence for allegedly striking a woman in the face while there was a protection order in place on May 22 in East Liverpool.

Brian J. Spier, 35, Dairy Lane, East Liverpool, was fined $250 and given a suspended 180-day jail term for domestic violence, with 20 hours community service ordered. Spier punched a juvenile victim in the face on Feb. 21 in Lisbon.

Nickolas Dalrymple, 33, 14th Street, Wellsville, was fined $250 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 120 days suspended and credit for two days served, leaving a balance of 58 days still to serve in jail for assault. A third-degree felony charge of strangulation was dismissed by the prosecution. On Sept. 2, 2025 in Wellsville, he was accused of grabbing a woman by the throat forcing her and the chair she was sitting in backwards, then struck her in the face with his hand and threw a door handle at her.

Richard A. Braham, 27, West Park Avenue, Columbiana, was fined $300 and sentenced to 30 days in jail, with credit for 30 days served, for menacing amended from aggravated menacing and disorderly conduct amended from violation of a protection order. He was accused of threatening a man in a voicemail message on March 22 in Columbiana. He was fined $50 for failure to control.

A pretrial was set July 6 for Pete L. Gibson, 41, state Route 154, Rogers, charged with aggravated menacing for allegedly threatening to shoot a protected person in the head on Millrock Road, New Waterford on May 17.

Grant Kelner Sandrock, 54, Youngstown, was fined $750 and given a suspended 90-day jail term for engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools, with 20 hours community service and an education course ordered. Sandrock responded to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranged for sexual activity with a woman in exchange for $140, then traveled to East Palestine on Jan. 23 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.

Mya Nicole Perry, 23, Youngstown, was fined $100 and given a suspended 180-day jail term for possessing criminal tools and soliciting, with 40 hours community service ordered. She was also ordered to complete a prostitution prevention course. Perry posted an ad on a known prostitution website offering sex for hire and arranging to meet an undercover agent for sexual activity in exchange for money, arriving on March 13 in East Palestine for the meeting.

A fugitive from justice charge against David M. Donaldson, 47, Toronto, was dismissed. Court documents said the state of Missouri had not produced a governor’s warrant for extradition for a charge of possession of controlled substance.