Municipal

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, Shawn Fullerton, 33, last known address Main Street, East Liverpool, was fined $250 and given a suspended 180-day jail term for assault. He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service. Fullerton was accused of pushing an employee of Rich Oil in Wellsville into the rack/tobacco area behind the cash register on Feb. 14, with the incident captured on video footage.

Sentencing was set May 5 for Jeremy Smith, 31, First Street, East Liverpool, who pleaded guilty to domestic violence for allegedly grabbing a hammer and making a threat to beat a woman on April 27 in East Liverpool.

Jason Holloway, 44, Dresden Avenue, East Liverpool, was fined $200 and sentenced to 30 days in jail, with credit for eight days served, leaving a balance of 22 days still to serve in jail for aggravated menacing, amended from a felony to a misdemeanor. Holloway was accused of making threats against a Liverpool Township police officer who was transporting him to the county jail after arresting him for outstanding warrants on April 19.

Felony charges of failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and obstructing official business against Matthew Howard, 20, Hanna Drive, Hanoverton, were dismissed. He had been accused of leading police on a pursuit in Perry Township on March 12. He was fined $30 for loud exhaust.

Joe McVay, 37, Wellsville Avenue, Lisbon, was fined $300 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 173 days suspended and credit for two days served, leaving a balance of five days still to serve for aggravated menacing. He was ordered to complete 40 hours community service and to have no contact with the victim. McVay was accused of threatening another man on Aug. 10, 2024 in Center Township, with the victim saying the defendant brandished a handgun and threatened to shoot him.

A probation violation hearing was set June 3 for Austin Loy, 27, Park Place Avenue, East Liverpool, for a disorderly conduct case from 2023.

A pretrial was set July 24 for Justina DeSarro, 35, Curry Street, East Liverpool, charged with criminal trespass for allegedly trespassing in a home in St. Clair Township on April 23.

Cody Spahr, 33, Massillon, was ordered to serve 30 days in jail for violating his probation for a theft case from 2020. He was accused of stealing two packs of cigarettes from a vehicle on Aug. 13, 2020 in Columbiana.

Thomas H. Covert, 71, and Kimberly Covert, 61, both Virginia Avenue, East Liverpool, were both fined $500 each on four counts of failure to file city income tax returns, with all fines suspended on the condition that they each pay and file all taxes when due and enter a payment plan with the city of East Liverpool. They were each accused of failing to file East Liverpool city income tax returns from 2021 through 2024.

A pretrial was set July 22 for Brent Edison, no age listed, West Sixth Street, East Liverpool, charged with six counts of failure to file city income tax return for allegedly failing to file East Liverpool city income tax returns from 2019 through 2024.

A pretrial was set July 21 for Kasen Smith, 29, Winona Road, Salem, charged with four counts of miscellaneous wildlife and one count of failure to obtain permission for allegedly violating hunting rules on Oct. 20, 2024 in Hanover Township, Oct. 12, 2024 in Salem and Dec. 2, 2024 in Perry Township.

Michelle Lynch, 36, Walker Road, East Liverpool, was fined $1,475 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 177 days suspended and credit for three days served in a driver intervention program, for having weapons while intoxicated, operating a vehicle impaired first offense and a turn signal violation. She was ordered to complete 40 hours community service. Lynch possessed a firearm during a traffic stop on Feb. 21 in Wellsville when she was found impaired.

Cornelius Chunn, 43, Bedford, was fined $430 for driving under suspension, no seat belt and drug paraphernalia for possessing a digital scale with a white powder residue during a traffic stop on Aug. 6, 2024 in Fairfield Township.

Nathaniel Joy, 30, Stanton Drive, Columbiana, was fined $1,275 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 87 days suspended and credit for three days served in a driver intervention program, for OVI, failure to control, driving under suspension and improper/expired registration. Another OVI count was dismissed. His driver’s license was suspended for one year, with driving privileges granted, and he was ordered to complete 20 hours community service.

A pretrial was set July 1 for Kimberly Wilson, 54, Main Street, Wellsville, charged with OVI second offense and speeding.

A pretrial was set July 22 for Dwayne Walker, 39, Cleveland, charged with OVI second offense, driving under suspension, a turn signal violation and no seat belt. He was also fined $150 for speeding and no license.

A pretrial was set July 24 for Tammy Kennedy, 55, Youngstown, charged with OVI refusal with prior within 20 years, driving under suspension and one-way traffic.

A pretrial was set July 1 for Xavier Kelley, 30, Lake Mary, Fla., charged with OVI first offense, traffic control devices and no seat belt.

A pretrial was set July 31 for Chad Vodhanel, 49, Boardman, charged with driving under suspension and failure to stop after an accident. He was also fined $250 and sentenced to three days in jail for another charge of driving under suspension, to be served at the same time as a prison term in a Mahoning County case.

A pretrial was set July 3 for David Donaldson, 46, Toronto, charged with failure to comply, speeding and failure to signal before turning/stopping for allegedly fleeing on a motorcycle when police initiated a traffic stop on April 3 in East Liverpool.

Jeffrey Mramor, 41, Jefferson, was fined $225 for illegal plate and driving under suspension.

Sean Alvarez, 31, state Route 7, New Waterford, was fined $100 for reckless operation.

Angel Hartley, 51, Palissey Street, East Liverpool, was fined $350 for driving under suspension, marked lanes and a turn signal violation.

Common Pleas

New Cases

Peter Zeigler, East Perry Street, Salem, and Rebecca Zeigler, East Third Street, Salem; dissolution sought.

Donald Baughman Jr., Union Street, Columbiana, vs. Brianna Shaw, High Street, Washingtonville; divorce sought.

U.S. Bank National Association, Greenville, S.C., vs. Mark Sutherin, Lakeview Road, Hanoverton, et al.; mortgage foreclosure sought.

M&T Bank, Buffalo, N.Y., vs. Brian Woolf, West Garfield Road, Salem, et al.; mortgage foreclosure sought.

City of East Palestine, care of Regional Income Tax Agency, East Palestine, vs. Kenneth Wilson IV, Garfield Avenue, East Palestine; collection sought of alleged 9,760 owed for city income tax from 2019 through 2022.

U.S. Bank National Association, Independence, vs. Brandie Wade, Winona Road, Salem; collection sought of alleged $2,761 debt.

American Express National Bank, Independence, vs. Matthew Kuttler, Salmar Drive, Salem; collection sought of alleged $7,309 debt.

U.S. Bank National Association, Independence, vs. Heather Speicher, Camp Boulevard, Hanoverton; collection sought of alleged $4,054 debt.

City of East Palestine, care of Regional Income Tax Agency, East Palestine, vs. Tangie Mohrbacher, Alice Street, East Palestine; collection sought of alleged $6,090 owed for city income tax from 2019 through 2022.

U.S. Bank National Association, Independence, vs. Kelly Niswonger, Shining Tree Lane, Salem; collection sought of alleged $21,281 debt.

Discover Bank, Independence, vs. Chelsea Cassidy, Peace Valley Road, Rogers; collection sought of alleged $8,917 debt.

Docket Entries

Katherine Helman and Bruce Helman; dissolution granted.

JPMorgan Chase Bank vs. Vicki Guilliams-Scott, as heir to estate of Brian Scarbrough, et al.; foreclosure vacated, case dismissed.

Huntington National Bank vs. Devin Baker, individually and as executor of the estate of Dorothy Gorby, et al.; case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Juan Hernandez, et al.; cross-claims of defendant Margaret Mary Bill settled and dismissed against defendants Juan Hernandez and Mallory Meyers.

County Treasurer vs. Amy Zimmerman, et al.; payment plan entered, case stayed, taxes for two parcels paid and dismissed from complaint.

Grand Jury

LISBON — Khbair Tisdale, 44, Minerva Street, East Liverpool, was served Monday in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court with a secret indictment issued by the county grand jury for aggravated possession of drugs, a third-degree felony, for allegedly possessing methamphetamine in an amount equal or greater than bulk but less than five times bulk on May 4, 2024.

Court News

LISBON — A Poland man involved in a sex-for-hire sting in May 2024 in East Palestine entered guilty pleas Monday to engaging in prostitution and two felony drug counts.

Joshua Hayat, 38, appeared before Columbiana County Common Pleas Court Judge Megan Bickerton, who revoked his bond and ordered him held at the county jail after a positive drug test.

He pleaded guilty to fifth-degree felonies of possession of a fentanyl-related compound and possession of cocaine, along with the misdemeanor charge of engaging in prostitution, with sentencing set for July 21.

Misdemeanor charges of possessing criminal tools, possession of drug abuse instrument and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia will be dismissed.

Hayat was accused of responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranging for sexual activity with a female in exchange for currency and crack cocaine, traveling to East Palestine on May 7, 2024 for the meeting. Hayat allegedly possessed the phone used to make the arrangements, along with fentanyl, cocaine, a crack pipe and hypodermic syringes.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— Christopher Brink, 44, Franklin Avenue, Salem, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for charges from two separate indictments, including having weapons while under disability, a third-degree felony, fifth-degree felony aggravated possession of drugs with a specification for forfeiture of money from a drug case, and tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony. He was also ordered to forfeit $85. Charges of aggravated possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia will be dismissed. Brink was accused of having a firearm on Dec. 6, 2023 while under indictment for a felony offense of aggravated trafficking in drugs and also possessing methamphetamine and $85 cash. On April 6, 2023, he was accused of possessing a plastic bag used for the storage of dangerous drugs during a traffic stop in Salem and allegedly crumpling and throwing a piece of evidence behind him while exiting the vehicle.

— Joseph Hakala, 31, East Washington Street, Lisbon, was sentenced to 12 months in prison, with credit for 245 days served in jail, for third-degree felony failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer. A misdemeanor driving under suspension charge was dismissed. His driver’s license was suspended for five years. Hakala fled from an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper attempting a traffic stop in Madison Township, reaching speeds of 100 mph and fleeing into West Virginia on Aug. 14, 2024.

— Angel Post, 51, New Cumberland, W.Va., was sentenced to six months in prison for trafficking in cocaine, a fifth-degree felony, with credit for 23 days served in jail. Two additional counts of trafficking in cocaine, both fourth-degree felonies, will be dismissed. Post sold or attempted to sell less than 5 grams of cocaine on Oct. 18, 2019.

— Jonathan Shellenberger, 35, Gavers Road, Hanoverton, was placed under community control for three years and ordered to serve 180 days in the county jail, with 90 days suspended, for misdemeanors of domestic violence and endangering children. A fourth-degree felony strangulation charge will be dismissed. Shellenberger was accused of grabbing a juvenile girl by the arm, shoulders and neck area and throwing her into the residence on Gavers Road, Hanoverton on April 13, 2024.

— Christopher Steenge, 46, Washingtonville Road, Salem, was placed under community control for three years and ordered to serve a term at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center until the program is successfully completed for aggravated possession of drugs, a third-degree felony. He received credit for two days served. Steenge possessed methamphetamine in an amount equal or greater than bulk but less than five times bulk on Nov. 5, 2019.

— Jessica Cain, 41, Church Street, Salineville, was placed on a treatment plan for three years and ordered to serve a term at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center until the program is successfully completed for possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a fifth-degree felony. Cain possessed fentanyl on Dec. 9, 2022.

— Billie Thompson, 43, last known address Youngstown, pleaded guilty to drug charges from two separate indictments, including possession of LSD and aggravated possession of drugs, both fifth-degree felonies, and third-degree felony aggravated possession of drugs, with sentencing set for May 19. Another charge of aggravated trafficking in drugs will be dismissed. Thompson was accused of possessing methamphetamine in an amount equal or greater than bulk but less than five times bulk on June 26, 2023 and possessing LSD and methamphetamine on July 18, 2023.

— David Hitt, 37, Parma, was placed on a treatment plan for 18 months after pleading guilty to charges from two separate indictments, including fifth-degree felony aggravated possession of drugs and fourth-degree felony attempted aggravated possession of drugs. Hitt possessed methamphetamine on April 29, 2020 and attempted to possess methamphetamine on Jan. 13, 2021.