LISBON — A Wellsville man accused of making threats against the Wellsville Police Department and allegedly harassing the police department and Columbiana County Municipal Court Judge Tim McNicol is now in jail facing multiple charges.

Steven D. Wright, 45, Main Street, appeared via video from the county jail Friday morning for arraignment on two counts of aggravated menacing, a fifth-degree felony, and two counts of telecommunications harassment, a first-degree misdemeanor.

Bond was set at $200,000 cash or surety and he was ordered to have no contact with the alleged victims, and to not have any weapons or firearms, if he’s released. He remains in custody.

Judge Kelly Linger handled the arraignments, but both she and McNicol recused themselves from the cases, citing conflicts of interest. The Ohio Supreme Court will be contacted for the appointment of a visiting judge.

On Friday afternoon, Wellsville police filed additional charges against Wright for misdemeanor obstructing official business and fourth-degree felony improper handling firearms in a motor vehicle, with arraignment on those charges set for Monday.

According to an affidavit filed by Wellsville Patrolman Caden Weekley for the telecommunications harassment charges, officers received a call at 8:28 p.m. Feb. 18 that “Steven Wright posted a video online stating he was going to shoot the Wellsville Police.” Upon watching the video, Weekley wrote that “Steven stated and I quote ‘Judge McNicol and Chief Ed Wilson better get into that court and do right by me. You’re running out of time. You guys can think this is a joke or a bluff I’m a man of my word if I say I’m gonna do something I’m gonna do it.'”

The affidavit by Weekley also said that Steven Wright stated the following: “Once the Wellsville police issue that warrant I’m going to go down to the Wellsville Police Department and we’re gonna have a shootout.”

He also quoted Steven Wright stating, “these cops think nothing is going to happen, your guys are fools to believe that. I’m at the point where I have nothing to lose, nothing. So make peace with your God okay, make peace with your God.”

The affidavits for the aggravated menacing counts also quoted similar statements of Steven Wright allegedly saying he’s going to have a shootout with the cops. That he was going to pull around the back and call them and let them know he’s there, saying “and not one of these cops will come out and try to issue that warrant because they know what’s going to happen.”

In December, Wright lost an appeal he filed with the Seventh District Court of Appeals to challenge an April 30, 2024 judgment by McNicol in county Municipal Court when he was fined $150 for disorderly conduct, amended from menacing. The case stemmed from an incident on Sept. 24, 2022 when he was accused of allegedly following and yelling at a woman who said she was being harassed and was afraid to go outside her apartment because of him.

He claimed there was insufficient evidence, but the Seventh District Court of Appeals affirmed the conviction and sentence.

On Dec. 18, 2024, the county Clerk of Courts issued a cost bill to Wright for $1,676 related to the case, with a review hearing set for 2 p.m. Feb. 27, which is next week.

According to a previous published story, in 2023, Wright filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Youngstown against Wellsville Police Chief Ed Wilson, two police officers and another employee over his arrest for another disorderly conduct charge related to a sign.

Officers arrested Wright after police received multiple phone calls complaining about him holding up a sign that read “F*** the police” in front of the Wellsville First Christian Church on Main Street when children were coming and going from the church.

He alleged his right to free speech was violated, that he was falsely arrested and that he was denied due process.

The civil lawsuit was eventually settled and dismissed.