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MUNICIPAL COURT

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, a preliminary hearing was set July 14 for Juston Buskirk, 43, West Martin Street, East Palestine, charged with domestic violence for allegedly assaulting Johnna Cozza on June 11 in East Palestine, punching her in the face, strangling her, kicking her in the ribs and holding her down and squeezing hot pepper juice in her eyes, causing her to suffer bruising and burns to the eyes.

He had a previous conviction for domestic violence, which elevated the current charge to a felony. Bond was set at $50,000 cash or surety and he was ordered to have no contact with the victim. A pretrial was also set July 14 for a failure to control charge from November 2021.

A pretrial was set Sept. 1 for Christine Valentine, 27, Blakely Street, East Liverpool, charged with domestic violence for allegedly hitting her brother, Dakota Melott after they got into an argument at Aten Avenue in Wellsville on July 30, 2020.  

A pretrial was set Sept. 15 for Jason Hobbs, Chester, W.Va., charged with engaging in prostitution, possessing criminal tools and drug paraphernalia for allegedly traveling to East Palestine on July 6 to meet with an undercover Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force agent posing as a female for sexual conduct in exchange for $140. He allegedly said he would let the female have a hit off of his meth pipe. He had $500 in his possession, the phone and methamphetamine and pipes used to inhale methamphetamine.

A private review/decision to the bench was scheduled for July 21 for Nicholas Witherspoon, 34, South Middle Street, Columbiana, who waived extradition as a fugitive from justice to be returned to Pennsylvania where he’s charged with strangulation, simple assault and harassment. Witherspoon was taken into custody after a traffic stop on July 5 in Salem. The incidents in Pennsylvania occurred on June 11 in Hatfield Township in Montgomery County when he allegedly assaulted his girlfriend during a domestic.

Michael Stacy, 33, Maple Avenue, Wellsville, was fined $250 for criminal trespass and ordered to perform 20 hours community service for taking firewood from a garage on Maple Avenue, Wellsville, to allegedly heat his residence.

A pretrial was set July 21 for Tammy Souers, 53, East Fourth Street, Salem, charged with possession of drug abuse instrument, illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia and failure to reinstate for allegedly possessing five syringes and a spoon in a black eyeglass case, four glass pipes in a black eyeglass case and two burnt spoons in a pink eyeglass case in a parking lot at East Second and North Lincoln on July 6. The traffic charge stemmed from a traffic stop on March 15 in Salem.

A pretrial was set July 19 for Matthew Mraz, 49, Edgewood Drive, Columbiana, charged with a stop sign violation, illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of drugs for allegedly possessing a marijuana smoking pipe and suspected methamphetamine during a traffic stop July 7 in Columbiana.

A pretrial was set Sept. 12 for Sean Corbett, 21, North Lincoln Avenue, Salem, charged with assault for allegedly causing physical harm to Billy Carlisle and Eric Ameduri during a fight at the Flying Pig on June 13 in Salem.

Charisse Munyon, 37, West Clark Street, East Palestine was fined $300 for three counts of theft, all amended from telecommunications fraud, ordered to pay $429.88 restitution to Barb Lynch, and ordered to complete 40 hours community service. Munyon used an account and routing number from a check issued by Lynch from the Community Concerns Account to pay her personal First Energy bills totaling $429.88 on Mar. 14, May 6, and June 8. Munyon claimed this to be an accident. A charge of possession of criminal tools for the phone used to arrange the transactions was dismissed.

Jesus Davis, 49, Southeast Boulevard, Salem was fined $350 and ordered to serve 14 days in jail for assault. He was also ordered to complete 40 hours community service and ordered to have no contact with Dennis Crider for kicking in Crider’s door on Southeast Boulevard on July 1 and engaging in a physical fight with him, banging on Crider’s car door after he fled.

Emilee Wren, 20, Mullins Street, Salem, was fined $250, sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 179 days suspended, and credit for one day served and ordered to complete 30 hours community service for domestic violence. She was ordered to have no contact with Evan Kosch. Wren grabbed Kosch by the neck at their Mullins Street residence on Apr. 13, leaving visible marks and scratches. 

Mckala Lehman, 23, Merle Road, Salem, was fined $150 for an equipment violation, amended from speeding.

A preliminary hearing was set July 14 for Matthew Hormel, 39, Union Street, Columbiana, charged with felony domestic violence, for allegedly punching Jody Shantz in the nose, grabbing her throat, and forcing her to the ground, leaving her with a bleeding nose, and bruises on her throat, at their Union Street residence on July 6.

A pretrial was set Sept. 8 for James Felger, 55, Duquesne Street, Columbiana,  charged with domestic violence and menacing for allegedly drawing his fist back and making his ex-wife Leanne Varner, and Mike Varner, believe he was going to injure them at their Desellem Road, Lisbon residence on May 22.

Shannon Baker, 47, Parkview Drive, Columbiana, was fined $180 for a stop sign violation and marijuana paraphernalia related to a traffic stop in Leetonia on July 1 when smoking bowls, a smoking pen and two small cylinders containing suspected marijuana residue were seized. A second charge of marijuana paraphernalia was dismissed.

Corey Jones, 32, Cleveland was fined $225 for drug abuse and failure to display valid sticker for possessing marijuana on Feb 9 in Columbiana.

A pretrial was set Aug. 29 for Joni Romacko, 56, Alliance, charged with operating a vehicle under the influence first offense.

A pretrial was set Sept. 15 for Robert Lutman, 46, Leetonia Road, Leetonia, charged with driving under suspension and a permit violation.

A sentencing hearing was set Aug. 1 for Tom Tenney, 71, Homeworth Road, Alliance, after pleading no contest to OVI first offense, OVI great, speeding and no seat belt.

Kaylee Schrecengost, 36, was fined $150 for driving under suspension.

A pretrial was set Aug. 23 for Scott Kalina, 56, Columbiana-Lisbon Road, Columbiana, charged with driving under suspension.

A pretrial was set for Sept. 15 for Shelby Russell, 21, Koch Street, East Palestine, for driving under suspension.

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