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Common Pleas
NEW CASES
Garry Lee Garrod, Hamilton Road, East Palestine, vs. Eileen Marie Garrod, Pittsburgh, Pa.; divorce sought.
Stephanie Joy Smith, South Broadway Avenue, Salem, vs. Theodore R. Smith III, New Springfield; divorce sought.
Christopher D. Ward, North Ellsworth Avenue, Salem, vs. Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation, Columbus, and Burger Ohio Management, Coaches Burger Bar 105 LLC, Canfield; appeal of claim denial.
Merrick Bank, Draper, Utah, vs. Barbara J. Lenigar, Prospect Street, Salem; collection sought of alleged $3,138 debt.
Onemain Financial Group, LLC, Columbus, vs. Richard A. Sloan, state Route 45, Wellsville; collection sought of alleged $16,039 debt.
Onemain Financial Group, LLC, Columbus, vs. Robert S. Welling, Lisbon Street, East Liverpool; collection sought of alleged $16,942 debt.
Sabrina Smith, Echo Dell Road, East Liverpool, vs. Benjamin Adkins, Cannons Mill Road, East Liverpool; determination of ownership interests in mobile home sought, along with partition of property and net proceeds.
Tomas Robles, Youngstown, vs. Fresh Mark Salem, Massillon, and Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation, Columbus; appeal of claim denial.
DOCKET ENTRIES
Virginia R. Thomas vs. John M. Thomas; divorce granted.
Glorie L. Weingart and Danny L. Weingart; dissolution granted.
MARRIAGE LICENSES
Samuel F. Baumgarner, 51, Wellsville, welding inspector, and Chantel C. Chiodi, 37, Wellsville, unemployed.
Justin M.R. Reed, 40, East Liverpool, marketing, and Sarah R. Reed, 35, East Liverpool, unemployed.
Dillon N.S. Matz, 21, Homeworth, mechanic, and Amber N. Hicks, 21, Homeworth, unemployed.
Faustino C. Martinez, 66, East Palestine, grocery stocker, and Angela D. Grijalva, also known as Angela I. Ware, 51, East Palestine, unemployed.
Brandon S. Phillips, 24, Pleasant Hill, Iowa, sales executive, and Madison M. Weber, 21, Salem, com res cleaner.
Stephanie R. Claycomb, 32, Columbiana, disability, and Caitlin S. Reckner, 33, Columbiana, STNA.
Zachary W. Bean, 32, East Liverpool, registered nurse, and Emily A. Brown, 27, Panama City Beach, Fla., certified surgical tech.
Jerod W. Carner, 27, Salem, warehouse manager, and Reilly O. Cameron, 27, Salem, business analyst.
Aaron R. Tennant Jr., 24, Columbiana, replenishment driver, and Katelyn R. Watson, 23, Columbiana, housekeeper.
Steven T. Wilson, 34, Negley, welder, and Lindsey K. Flinn, 30, New Cumberland, W.Va., business development.
Cory J. Miller, 39, East Liverpool, plant engineer, and Tabitha S. Miller, 46, East Liverpool, remote worker.
Jeffrey S. Nickell, 50, East Liverpool, electrician, and Marisa S. Ward, 46, East Liverpool, operations supervisor.
Ryan P. Slaven, 25, Berlin Center, machinist, and Hannah G. Barr, 24, New Waterford, registered nurse.
Landon P. West, 20, Salem, welder, and Robin J. Butler, 19, Salem, animal care specialist.
Rosslin S.Z. Caceres, 25, Chester, W.Va., scaffolding, and Madison I.W. Wooten, 22, East Liverpool, police officer.
Grand Jury
LISBON -- Drug defendants were served recently with secret indictments issued by the Columbiana County Grand Jury, including:
-- Andrew Hugh Hunley, 50, Avondale Street, East Liverpool, possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a fifth-degree felony, for allegedly possessing fentanyl on July 20, 2025.
-- Harleigh Crawford, 24, Wells Avenue, Wellsville, fifth-degree felonies of possession of heroin and possession of a fentanyl-related compound and misdemeanor possession of drugs for allegedly possessing heroin, fentanyl and xylazine on Nov. 14, 2025.
-- James A. Threats, 62, Alliance, possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony, for allegedly possessing cocaine on March 22, 2025.
-- Jena K. Whittington, 33, Rose Drive, Lisbon, fifth-degree felonies of possession of cocaine, possession of a fentanyl-related compound, possession of heroin and two counts of possession of drugs for allegedly possessing cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, tramadol and xylazine on Aug. 20, 2025.
-- Kyle E. Melott, 31, state Route 344, Leetonia, failure to comply, a third-degree felony, for allegedly fleeing from police officers attempting a traffic stop May 23.
Court News
LISBON - A Cleveland man is facing several years in prison for multiple drug charges in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court.
Benny Ray Miley Jr., 37, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for attempted aggravated possession of drugs, a third-degree felony, to serve consecutively with 24 months in prison for attempted possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a third-degree felony, served concurrently with nine months in prison for possession of cocaine, a third-degree felony, and possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. He was also fined $5,000 for each count of attempted aggravated possession of drugs, attempted possession of a fentanyl-related compound and possession of cocaine.
Also in common pleas court:
- Justin R. Barrett, 41, Sophia Street, East Liverpool, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for two counts of having weapons while under disability, a third-degree felony, and unlawful possession of a dangerous ordnance, a fifth-degree felony, to be served consecutively with a sentence of 18 months in prison for illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto grounds of a specified governmental facility, a third-degree felony, and possession of criminal tools, a fifth-degree felony, an a sentence of 24 months in prison for aggravated possession of drugs, a third-degree felony.
- Richard A. Braham, 28, West Park Avenue, Columbiana, was sentenced to eight months in prison for pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person, a fourth-degree felony, to serve consecutively with six months in prison for four counts of illegal use of minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance, a fifth-degree felony, to serve concurrently. He is designated as a tier II sex offender.
- James Joseph Lippiatt, 37, Washington Street, Salem, was sentenced to 10 months in prison with jail credit of 98 days after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine, possession of a fentanyl-related compound and possession of drugs, all fifth-degree felonies, and possession of fentanyl-related compound, a fifth-degree felony, in two separate cases.
- Juan G. Anchondo, 39, West Clark Street, East Palestine, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for burglary, a third-degree felony, and aggravated assault, a fourth-degree felony.
- Jason N. Barnes, 38, Steubenville, was sentenced to 10 months in prison for a community control violation for possession of heroin and possession of a fentanyl-related compound, both fifth-degree felonies.
- William R. Payton, 21, Bouquet Street, Negley, was sentenced to eight month in prison for assault, a fifth-degree felony, to be served consecutively with a concurrent sentence of 12 months in prison for two counts of assault, both fourth-degree felonies, and 30 days in jail for resisting arrest, a first-degree misdemeanor, with 66 days of jail credit.
- Carter D. Hollinger, 24, Carmel Achor Road, Rogers, was sentenced to 96 days in jail, with credit for 16, for a community control violation for possession of drugs, a first-degree misdemeanor.
- Joseph L. Murphy, 47, Walnut Street, Leetonia, was sentenced to 90 days in jail for a probation violation of two counts of non-support of dependents, a fifth-degree felony.
- Robyn M. Wornoff, 37, Lakewood, Ohio, was sentenced to 80 days in jail, with credit for 17, for a probation violation for aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony.
- James L. Cunningham Jr., 44, Center Street, Wellsville, was sentenced to 60 days in jail, with credit for 58, for a probation violation for non-support of dependents, a fourth-degree felony.
- Tyler D. Howell, 28, Florence Road, New Cumberland, W.Va., was placed on three years community control after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine and possession of a fentanyl-related compound, both fifth-degree felonies, and possession of drugs, a first-degree misdemeanor.
- Brandon Staudacher, 35, St. Clair Avenue, East Liverpool, was placed on two years of community control after pleading guilty to attempted failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, a fifth-degree felony, and endangering children, a misdemeanor.
- Mark Muenstermann, 40, Milan, Ill., was placed on one year of community control for misdemeanor charges of possession of drugs and obstructing official business.
- Natasha L. Thomas, 42, Annesley Road, East Liverpool, was granted intervention in lieu of conviction after pleading guilty to grand theft of a motor vehicle, a fourth-degree felony; an amended count of obstructing official business, a fifth-degree felony; and trespass in a habitation when a person is present or likely to be present, a fourth-degree felony.
Municipal
LISBON -- In Columbiana County Municipal Court, a preliminary/pretrial hearing was set Sept. 14 for Kyrin Michael McLaughlin, 28, Rose Drive, Lisbon, charged with fourth-degree felony strangulation and misdemeanor domestic violence for allegedly getting into a fight with a juvenile, grabbing the juvenile by the collar and choking him, throwing him on the ground and getting on top of him on Sept. 7 in Center Township.
A preliminary hearing was set Sept. 14 for Chelsea Rose Baker, 36, Laura Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with violation of a protection order, a fifth-degree felony, for allegedly knocking on the door of a protected person's residence in East Liverpool on Sept. 6.
A pretrial was set Nov. 4 for David C. Wells Sr., 41, East Third Street, Salem, charged with sexual imposition for allegedly inappropriately touching a juvenile at a sleepover in Salem on Sept. 26, 2025. The affidavit said the girl was at the residence for a sleepover with another juvenile when the defendant allegedly climbed into bed with her and was touching her private areas. Witnesses saw him in bed with the girl and testing allegedly showed the defendant's DNA was collected and found on the victim's ear.
A pretrial was set Sept. 14 for Ryan Allen Bevington, 30, Alliance, charged with domestic violence, operating a vehicle impaired, OVI breath, speeding and no seat belt for allegedly getting angry and smashing a woman's fingers with his cell phone on the way home from her picking him up at the Lisbon patrol post on Sept. 6 after he was arrested for OVI.
A pretrial was set Nov. 3 for Anthony Phillip Cook, 62, Prospect Street, East Liverpool, charged with theft, criminal trespass and menacing for allegedly threatening an East Liverpool property owner on Sept. 4 after being told to get off the property and then on Sept. 5, he stole a candy vending machine from St. Clair Laundry Room in East Liverpool and trespassed at another East Liverpool property where he was found sleeping.
A pretrial was set Nov. 4 for Jena Kathlene Whittington, 33, 18th Street Heights, Wellsville, charged with theft for allegedly concealing 69 items valued at $628 in her purse and a reusable bag on Sept. 7 at the Calcutta Walmart.
A sentencing hearing was set Oct. 6 for Breanna M. Ours, 26, North Shadylane Drive, East Liverpool, who pleaded guilty to endangering children for creating a risk to the health and safety of a 5-year-old child due to living in conditions that included broken crack pipes, narcotics on the floor, used condoms on the floor, rotting meat, bugs and sharp broken items scatting about the dwelling areas on Sept. 3 in East Liverpool.
A pretrial was set Nov. 10 for Chandler S. Robinson, 27, West Eighth Street, Salem, charged with aggravated menacing and criminal damaging for allegedly sending a threatening message to a Leetonia woman on Aug. 19 saying he was going to burn down her house and car while she's asleep. The damage charge stems from alleged damage to a fence in Salem on March 7.
A pretrial was set Oct. 14 for Andrew Hugh Hunley, 50, listed as homeless, East Liverpool, charged with criminal trespass and drug paraphernalia for allegedly trespassing in an East Liverpool property on Sept. 4 and having a torn apart pen with residue.
Stephanie J. Igo, 37, Bell Road, Negley, was fined $150 for disorderly conduct amended from theft for being involved in the theft of two weld-pads and multiple battery-power tools from a garage on Jan. 27 in Negley.
Richard C. Short, 58, Rose Drive, Lisbon, was fined $450 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 90 days suspended and credit for 10 days served, leaving a balance of 80 days still to serve for receiving stolen property, amended from a felony to a misdemeanor, and misdemeanor criminal trespass, with 20 hours community service. Short possessed a stolen compound bow and body armor in Lisbon on Aug. 28 and trespassed in a vacant apartment.
Brandon Lee Jones, 25, Fourth Street, East Liverpool, was fined $200 and received credit for 14 days served in jail for disorderly conduct and pedestrian on roadway. He was cited on June 2, 2024 for walking in a road in East Liverpool and again on Sept. 9, 2024 in the middle of East Sixth Street East Liverpool.
A court trial was set Sept. 29 for Bocephus James McElroy, 24, Newell, W.Va., charged with criminal damaging and disorderly conduct for allegedly yelling at a police officer, wanting to fight, and then kicking the door of the police cruiser, bending the door on Sept. 5. He had wrecked his bicycle while intoxicated and left East Liverpool City Hospital without being treated before the incident with police.
Tyler O. Starkey, 27, last known address Huntington, Idaho, was fined $520 for obstructing official business, no license, traffic control devices, no license and tinted glass. He provided a false name and social security number during a traffic stop in Lisbon.
Timothy Browning, 20, Campbell, was fined $350 and received a suspended 90-day jail term, with 40 hours community service, for criminal damaging for spray painting graffiti on the back and side of a building in downtown East Palestine on May 5.
Liliana Jasmine Varela, 21, Campbell, was fined $350 and received a suspended 90-day jail term, with 40 hours community service, for criminal damaging for spray painting graffiti on the back and side of a building in downtown East Palestine on May 5.
Cora E. Andresen, 46, Newton Falls, was fined $400 for possession of a schedule 4 substance and drug paraphernalia for possessing a pipe with burnt resident, paper fold containing white powder and a straw containing white power, with the white powder identified as buprenorphine.
A pretrial was set Nov. 2 for Jamie Lee Ervin, 43, Wood Street, East Palestine, charged with possess instruments to ingest for allegedly possessing two glass pipes used for smoking narcotics on May 20 in Lisbon.
A pretrial was set Nov. 3 for Shawna A. Bodiford, 44, Toronto, charged with drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing a pipe with burnt tin foil with both containing residue on Sept. 5 in St. Clair Township.
A pretrial was set Nov. 3 for Harleigh Louann Crawford, 24, Wilbert Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing a burnt glass pipe with unknown residue found in a case with used needles, a tie-off and burnt spoon with pink residue and a pink fold with unknown powder during her arrest for a warrant on Sept. 8 in East Liverpool.
Robert T. Dawson III, 39, Avondale Street, East Liverpool, was fined $100 for maximum possible height of weeds for failing to cut weeds growing to a height of 8 inches or more at his address. The fine will be suspended if he mows his properties within 24 hours and continues to maintain them.
Alicia Wells, 37, Lisbon Street, East Liverpool, was fined $500 each, with the fines suspended, for six counts of failure to file city income tax returns for failing to file the returns in East Liverpool from 2019-2024.
A pretrial was set Nov, 9 for Mystie Huggins, 43, Woodland Avenue, Salem, charged with drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing a pipe with burnt residue during a traffic stop on Aug. 30 in Salem. She was fined $50 for expired license.
A pretrial was set Nov. 4 for Nicholas Andrew Kempf, 34, North Street, Salineville, charged with operating a vehicle impaired second offense, OVI breath second offense, two counts failure to stop after an accident,, marked lanes, traffic control devices, turn signal violation, littering from vehicle, open container and two counts reasonable control.
A pretrial was set Oct. 20 for Alexis Paige Dobritz, 28, Avondale Street, East Liverpool, charged with OVI third offense, endangering children driving under suspension and a turn signal violation for allegedly having children in the vehicle she was allegedly driving impaired on Sept. 4 in East Liverpool.
Jonathon M. Simpson, 21, Lisbon Street, Leetonia, was fined $615 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 87 days suspended and credit for three days served in a driver intervention program for physical control amended from OVI and failure to control, with 20 hours community service ordered. His license was suspended for 180 days.
A pretrial was set Nov. 4 for Manuel Williams, 65, Penn Hills, Pa., charged with OVI, no seat belt, failure to display valid sticker and prohibited turn.
Tara Lynn Montgomery, 26, last known address North Market Street, Lisbon, was fined $650 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 failure to reinstate, with 20 hours community service. Charges of OVI and turn signal violation were dismissed. Her license was suspended for one year, with driving privileges granted.
Donald L. Clark, 56, Cherry Valley Road, Leetonia, was fined $1,215 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 174 days suspended and credit for six days served in a driver intervention program, with $500 of the fine suspended, for merged OVI charges and a turn signal violation. His license was suspended for one year.
Stephen Douglas McCall, 33, Garfield Avenue, East Palestine, was fined $250 and given a suspended 30-day jail term, with 20 hours community service, for physical control amended from OVI. Another OVI charge was dismissed.
Municipal
A pretrial was set Nov. 3 for William Carranza, 38, Stein Drivee, Bay Shore, New York, charged with engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools for allegedly arranging to meet with an undercover agent of the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force in Unity Township on Aug. 22 for sexual activity in exchange for currency and possessing the currency and the cellular device used to arrange the criminal act at that time.
A pretrial was set Nov. 3 for Vanessa Bates, 34, North Ellsworth Avenue, Salem, charged with illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing a clear bag with a white crystal-like substance and a clear pipe with burnt residue during a traffic stop in Salem on Thursday.
A pretrial was set Nov. 3 for Michelle Daugherty, 56, Lisbon Street, East Liverpool, charged with exterior protection for allegedly failing to make repairs to the exterior of their residence as ordered by the city housing department in East Liverpool on April 13.
A pretrial was set Nov. 4 for Danielle Rauch, 30, Huntercamp Road, Lisbon, charged with open container, OVI, driving under suspension, and failure to display a valid sticker for allegedly possessing an open container of Twisted Tea during a traffic stop in Lisbon on Friday.
A pretrial was set Oct. 20 for J & B Rental Properties, Sprucevale Road, East Liverpool, charged with littering for allegedly having "miscellaneous litter, junk, and debris" on its property in East Liverpool after receiving a written notice ordering its removal on April 27.
A pretrial was set Nov. 10 for Roy Larkins, 60, Steubenville Pike Road, Lisbon, charged with four counts of maximum permissible height of weeds for allegedly failing to cut weeds that had grown to a height of 8 inches at four East Liverpool properties in a timely fashion after being ordered to do so by the city housing department on May 13.
A pretrial was set Nov. 10 for Lonna Cope, 44, state Route 517, Columbiana, charged with OVI, left of center, and speeding.
A pretrial was set Nov. 3 for Angela Lopez, 50, North Garland Avenue, Youngstown, charged with OVI and a marked lanes violation.