Trending
LISBON -- A Barberton man accused in a sex-for-hire case was recently found competent to stand trial, but a defense motion for a second evaluation of his sanity at the time of the offense was granted.
James Allen Smith Jr., 54, was ordered evaluated by his treatment professionals regarding his mental state at the time of the incident on Oct. 30, 2025 when he arrived in East Palestine for a sex-for-hire meeting.
Columbiana County Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Washam approved the defense request for the second evaluation. The state expressed reservations about having Smith's treatment personnel do the evaluation.
Smith was indicted last year 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 trafficking a minor female and arranging to have sexual activity with them for $220, traveling to East Palestine for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.
He had been evaluated for both competency and sanity and the court found him competent during the recent hearing. As for the sanity evaluation, the evaluator said he had no symptoms of serious mental defect, but did have severe mental disease.
A status hearing was set for Sept. 10.
Also in Common Pleas Court:
-- Hayden M. Wright, 36, Railroad Street, East Liverpool, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and received a fine of $5,000, with credit for seven days served in jail, for charges from three separate indictments. Charges included 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. 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. The forfeiture involved several guns.
-- Walter Morgan, 37, Cleveland, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for third-degree felony failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer and misdemeanor obstructing official business for fleeing from an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper attempting a traffic stop on May 12, 2024 on state Route 11 in Elkrun Township. When the vehicle was initially stopped, he fled and threw a plastic bag out the window which was later recovered containing a white powdery substance. The pursuit was stopped when he crossed the bridge into West Virginia, but there was a positive identification which matched the Ohio ID he provided before fleeing. Charges of third-degree felony tampering with evidence and fifth-degree felony possession of cocaine were dismissed. He received credit for one day served in jail and his license was suspended for three years.
-- Randy T. Farmer-Reese, 37, Youngstown, was sentenced to 23 days in jail, but received credit for 23 days already served, leaving no time to serve for violating the terms of his probation for a lesser-included offense of misdemeanor engaging in prostitution and fifth-degree felony possessing criminal tools for a 2023 sex-for-hire case. His probation was dishonorably terminated.
-- Justin D. Davis, 41, Marysville, was ordered to serve seven days in the county jail for violating the terms of his probation for aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, for possessing methamphetamine on Oct. 26, 2022. He will remain under community control.
-- Randall J. Myers, 47, Newell, W.Va., was sentenced to a term at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center until the program is successfully completed and placed under community control for three years after pleading guilty to aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony for possessing methamphetamine on Nov. 3, 2024. He received credit for one day served in jail.
-- Andrew J. Warneke, 27, Niles, was placed under community control for three years after pleading guilty to fourth-degree felony failure to verify address for failing to verify his current address on Dec. 17, 2025 for the sex offender registration. He received credit for one day served in jail.