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Common Pleas
NEW CASES
Capital One,, N.A., Independence, vs. Kristin N. McCourt, Buck Road, Beloit; collection sought of alleged $2,015 debt.
DOCKET ENTRIES
Pamela Boratyn, Director, Ohio Department of Transportation, vs. unknown heirs, etc. of George W. Ward Sr., deceased, et al.; appropriation of two parcels along U.S. Route 30, Columbiana County, of 0.020 acres and 0.109 acres for $493 for repairs/improvement of road granted in default judgment.
Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC vs. Joshua K. Thomas, et al.; case stayed.
County Treasurer vs. Tammy L. Daggy; TotalEnergies E&P USA dismissed as defendant.
Velocity Investments, LLC vs. Benji Perry; case stayed due to bankruptcy filing.
Court News
LISBON -- A Canton woman accused of soliciting sexual conduct in 2024 was sentenced to prison for 12 months after recently entering a guilty plea in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court.
Melanie Watkins, 45, pleaded guilty to a lesser offense of possessing criminal tools, a fifth-degree felony (originally fourth-degree felony promoting prostitution), and misdemeanor soliciting for soliciting sexual conduct for an agreed upon price of $100 from an undercover agent and transporting herself and another woman to Salem on Sept. 14, 2024 for a sex for hire arrangement.
She received credit for 52 days already served in jail.
Also in Common Pleas Court:
-- Brandi Jo Pasco, 48, Alliance, pleaded guilty to aggravated possession of drugs, a third-degree felony, with sentencing set Oct. 23 for possessing methamphetamine on April 24, 2025. A charge of aggravated trafficking in drugs will be dismissed.
-- Crystal L. Christy, 47, Lacroft Avenue, East Liverpool, pleaded guilty to nonsupport of dependents, a fifth-degree felony, with sentencing set Oct. 29 for failing to pay support from March 7, 2021 to May 5, 2023.
Municipal
LISBON -- In Columbiana County Municipal Court, Wesley B. Hackney, 26, 10th Street, Wellsville, waived extradition while charged as a fugitive from justice on Aug. 17. He's wanted in the state of Tennessee on a warrant for aggravated sexual battery, two counts of rape and sexual battery for alleged incidents in 2015 while he was a juvenile. The charges were filed in juvenile court in Maury County in Columbia, Tenn. in 2015.
Tina Piatt, 54, Newell, W.Va., was fined $650 and sentenced to 10 days in jail for drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor falsification amended from felony tampering with evidence, and criminal trespass and for violating her probation for a 2026 case of obstructing official business and two counts of possession of drug abuse instrument and a 2026 case of theft. While detained when waiting for an active warrant to be confirmed, she tossed a cigarette pack with two burnt glass pipes inside on Aug. 8 in East Liverpool. On June 12, she trespassed in a garage in East Liverpool.
A pretrial was set Sept. 2 for Sean N. Barrett, 32, Weirton, W.Va., charged with violation of a protection order for allegedly showing up at a protected person's property in East Liverpool on Aug. 15.
Frederick Lamar Betts I, 32, Liberty Township, was fined $750 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 89 days suspended and credit for one day served for engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools, with 40 hours community service and completion of a prostitution prevention course ordered. He was also ordered to forfeit $80 to the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force. Betts responded to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranged for sexual activity with a woman in exchange for $80, then traveled to East Palestine Aug. 18 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.
A status conference hearing was set Oct. 20 and a court trial was set Oct. 28 for Hunter Willis, 23, McCann Road, Salem charged with public indecency expose private parts for allegedly standing beside his car at a gas pump urinating with his genitals out at Circle K on South Lincoln Avenue, Salem on May 3. Three men who saw this yelled at him, saying it's not okay to be doing that, when he replied "it's okay to pee at the pump."
A bond hearing was set Oct. 14 for Danny J. Shultz, 29, Cliff Drive, Salem, charged with obstructing official business. Shultz failed to appear for a pretrial hearing in June, with his bond reset to $5,000 cash or surety. He was accused of denying being in a vehicle a Perry Township police officer saw pulling from a suspected drug location on March 30. The officer pulled behind the vehicle which was parked, with the occupants walking away on Newgarden Avenue. When they were stopped, they denied being in a vehicle or leaving it behind, saying they were just out for a walk.
A pretrial was set Oct. 19 for Courtney A. Rudolph, 45, Liberty Street, Salem, charged with criminal trespass and disorderly conduct for allegedly entering someone else's property and entering and searching a vehicle not belonging to her for a backpack while allegedly intoxicated on prescription medication on Aug. 18. Perry Township police had been called to Liberty Street for a suspicious person.
Kayla R. Baker, 33, South Broadway Avenue, Salem, was fined $300 and sentenced to five days in jail, with credit for four days served, leaving one day still to serve for obstructing official business, no license and a tail light violation for failing to provide her license, registration and insurance multiple times during a traffic stop and also failing to exit the vehicle after being ordered out multiple times on April 10 in Salem.
A pretrial was set Oct. 14 for Robert Michael Palmer, 38, Hadley Road Extension, East Palestine, charged with operating a vehicle impaired, OVI breath and unattended vehicle.
Michael W. Saltsman, 64, Second Street, Hanoverton, was fined $1,125 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 177 days suspended and credit for three days served in a driver intervention program, with $500 of the fine suspended, for OVI, with 30 hours community service. His license was suspended for two years, with driving privileges granted.