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MUNICIPAL COURT

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, Judge Katelyn Dickey dismissed a third-degree felony tampering with evidence case against Cortni Rankin, 32, Cricket Lane, Columbiana, noting the state failed to meet the burden regarding the element of identification of the defendant. A preliminary hearing had been held in February.

The charge stemmed from a Dec. 2, 2022 incident during the execution of a narcotics search warrant in East Palestine. Rankin was accused of saying she had no narcotics on her person and then allegedly removed a baggie containing suspected methamphetamine and placing it under the driver’s seat of a New Waterford police cruiser.

A preliminary/pretrial hearing was set March 16 for Karlee Jade Walker, 22, Chester, W.Va., charged with third-degree felony tampering with evidence and obstructing official business. Walker had identified herself using her sister Asa’s information when originally charged for the tampering charge after a March 5 incident on First Avenue, East Liverpool. A police affidavit said Walker was allegedly stopped for acting suspicious running and hiding in residents’ yards and then stepped on a bag of white substance dropped by another person and threw it towards a house.

A preliminary hearing was set March 16 for Bobbie Jo Ann Wilson, 23, Sixth Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with third-degree felony having weapons under disability. She was ordered to have no firearm or ammo. Wilson was found inside a closet with a 12-gauge shotgun within reach when police arrived at an Avondale Street, East Liverpool property regarding possible stolen property. Wilson was barred from having weapons due to a previous felony conviction.

Joshua Capece, 36, New Castle, Pa., was fined $500 and given a 30-day suspended jail term for two counts of disorderly conduct, amended from engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools. He was permitted to buy out 60 hours community service and ordered to forfeit $100 to the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force. Capece arranged to have sexual conduct with a female advertised on an undercover ad on a known prostitution website in exchange for $100 and arrived in East Palestine for the meeting Dec. 18, 2022.

William Pierre, 31, Youngstown, was fined $500 and sentenced to 30 days in jail, with 29 days suspended and credit for one day served, for soliciting and possessing criminal tools. He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service. Pierre solicited sexual conduct from an undercover agent posing as a purchaser of sex for $100, arriving in Salem on Dec. 21, 2022 for the meeting.

Shanna Knoblock, 33, Seventh Avenue, East Liverpool, was fined $150 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 178 days suspended, for assault. She was ordered to perform 40 hours community service and to have no contact with the victim. Knoblock was a patient in the East Liverpool City Hospital emergency department on Sept. 12, 2022 when she punched a nurse in the shoulder blade and attempted to bite her finger.

A pretrial was set May 23 for Michael Lyle, 43, South Middle Street, Columbiana, charged with engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools. Lyle arranged to have sexual conduct with a female advertised on an undercover ad on a known prostitution website in exchange for $80 and arrived on Feb. 28 in East Palestine for the meeting.

A pretrial was set March 16 for Matthew Mraz Sr., 50, Edgewood Drive, Columbiana, charged with domestic violence and aggravated menacing. Bond was set at $50,000 and he was ordered to have no contact with the victims. Mraz allegedly threatened to kill a male victim multiple times on March 7 in Columbiana and punched a female victim and continued to hit her as she hit back in self-defense. This all happened while they were in his vehicle.

Todd Pastva, 41, Aurora, was fined $750 and given a suspended 30-day jail term for possessing criminal tools and disorderly conduct, amended from engaging in prostitution. He was permitted to buy out 40 hours community service and was ordered to forfeit $70 to the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force. Pastva arranged to have sexual conduct with a female advertised on an undercover ad on a known prostitution website in exchange for $70 and arrived in East Palestine for the meeting Aug. 3, 2022.

Grant Adams, 22, South Lincoln Avenue, Salem, was fined $250 and sentenced to 21 days in jail, with credit for 11 days served, for theft for stealing items from Super USA Food Mart on South Lincoln Avenue, Salem on Dec. 9, 2022.

Frank Dimuzio, 56, Lakeview Drive, Hanoverton, was fined $250 for disorderly conduct for a domestic incident Dec. 23, 2022 on Lakeview Drive. He had been told multiple times to stop yelling and trying to walk away while a deputy was investigating the domestic.

Matthew Lautzenheiser, 45, Minerva, was fined $200 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 87 days suspended and credit for three days served, for criminal damaging. He was also ordered to pay the following restitution amounts: $500 to Nick Torelli, $479 to Landon Baker and $910 to Byan Richard. He was also ordered to complete 30 hours community service. Lautzenheiser was charged for damaging multiple vehicles in the parking lot at Southern Local High School after being removed from a football game on Oct. 21, 2022.

A pretrial was set March 20 for Dustin Andrews, 24, state Route 170, East Palestine, charged with obstructing official business, assault and criminal damaging for allegedly fleeing on foot from East Palestine police on March 7 knowing there was a warrant for his arrest. He had been a passenger in a vehicle stopped for having a smashed out windshield and took off on foot, failing to stop after being told to numerous times by police. The assault and criminal damaging charges stem from a Dec. 7, 2022 incident in New Waterford when he allegedly punched the windshield of a woman’s vehicle and struck her on the side of the face.

Gregg Burton, 47, New Cumberland, W.Va., was fined $350 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 89 days suspended and credit for one day served, for criminal damaging and disorderly conduct. He was permitted to buy out 50 hours community service. Burton was highly intoxicated while at East Liverpool City Hospital and caused damage to a window and window frame in a room on July 6, 2022.

A pretrial was set March 16 for Patrick Griffith, 43, Cleveland, charged with assault for allegedly striking a female victim on Jan. 16 on Water Street, Salineville. Bond was set at $15,000 cash or surety and he was ordered to have no contact with the victim.

A pretrial was set May 1 for Brandon Moore, 19, Avondale Street, East Liverpool, charged with receiving stolen property for allegedly possessing stolen property on March 8 in East Liverpool.

A pretrial was set May 22 for Shane Lee Potts, Avondale Street, East Liverpool, charged with receiving stolen property and possessing a drug abuse instrument for allegedly possessing stolen property and a glass crack pipe on March 8 in East Liverpool.

Jesse Bettis, 31, Alliance, was fined $300 for two counts of miscellaneous wildlife for failing to immediately complete deer permits for two deer on Dec. 17, 2022 in West Township.

Adam Long, 43, Ohio Avenue, Salem, was fined $500 and given a suspended 90-day jail term for weapons while intoxicated for firing a firearm into the ground in the parking lot of Reilly Elementary School in Salem on Sept. 26.

A pretrial was set May 18 for Megan Rogers, 29, Knox School Road, Homeworth, charged with failure to confine dogs for her dog allegedly being loose on Jan. 31.

Jaime Walton, 43, Deerfield, was fined $915 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 87 days suspended and credit for three days served in a driver intervention program, for operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs and traffic control device. Her driver’s license was suspended for one year, with driving privileges granted.

A pretrial was set March 16 for Ciara Marie White, 23, Campbell Road, Hanoverton, charged with illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing a meth pipe and digital scales during a traffic stop on March 7 on state Route 558, Salem.

Austin Smith, 28, Industry, Pa., was fined $140 for improper/expired registration and no license, suspended from driving under suspension.

Joseph Hill, 36, Somer Street, Leetonia, was fined $150 for no motorcycle endorsement.

A pretrial was set May 23 for John Shaw, 58, Midland, Pa., charged with driving under suspension and speeding.

Douglas Barnes, 64, Edward Street, East Liverpool, was fined $100 for possessing marijuana.

Krystal Senior, 39, West Pershing Street, Salem, was fined $500 for speeding and three counts driving under suspension.

A pretrial was set May 25 for Douglas Barnes, 42, Ravine Street, East Liverpool, charged with improper backing.

A pretrial was set May 23 for William J. Williams, 33, Madison Drive, East Liverpool, charged with traffic control devices.

A pretrial was set April 25 for Georgeann Railing, 46, East Liverpool Road, Lisbon, charged with speeding and drug paraphernalia.

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