Municipal

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, a case against Norman Bender, 51, Aten Avenue, Wellsville, was bound over to the county grand jury for having weapons while under disability and theft without consent, both third-degree felonies, for allegedly taking a firearm without the owner’s permission on April 26 in East Liverpool while prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a previous felony conviction.

James Keys Jr., 38, Vine Street, East Liverpool, was sentenced to 90 days in jail for assault for pushing a woman to the ground on July 16, 2024 in East Liverpool.

A pretrial was set July 28 for Zachary Kenst, 32, Cedar Ridge Drive, Salem, charged with domestic violence and disorderly conduct-intoxication for an alleged incident on Dec. 23, 2022 when he allegedly struck a woman in the face in Salem and an alleged incident on Dec. 1, 2022 when he was allegedly intoxicated in the middle of the road in Salem.

A pretrial was set July 29 for Sheri Hartley, 55 Fairfield Avenue, Columbiana, charged with domestic violence for allegedly throwing items around the house, screaming and becoming violent during an argument on May 4 in Columbiana, allegedly holding a small knife against her own neck and then throwing the knife and a set of car keys towards another female, missing her but landing on the floor near her.

Bradley Eltringham, 38, Salineville Road, Salineville, was fined $1,000 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 143 days suspended and credit for seven days served, leaving a balance of 30 days still to serve in jail for assault, obstructing official business, menacing and falsification. He was ordered to complete 80 hours community service. A charge of disorderly conduct was dismissed. On Feb. 9, police officers saw the defendant lying on the side of the road on state Route 39 near Beadnell in Salineville. Eltringham tried to spit on officers and spit on an EMT, gave the wrong name, date of birth and social security number multiple times, made attempts to reach into his pocket and tried to fight detention and made threats to harm officers.

A pretrial was set July 28 for Patrick Joseph Dilworth III, 27, Youngstown, charged with engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools for allegedly requesting sexual conduct from an undercover agent in exchange for $160, then arriving in Salem on April 23 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.

David R. Dority, 38, Canton, was fined $750 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 179 days suspended and credit for one day served, for engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools. He was ordered to complete 40 hours community service and an online 12-hour prostitution prevention course. Dority was accused of requesting sexual conduct for an agreed upon price of $100 from an undercover agent and then driving to Salem for the meeting on March 12.

Jason McEldowney, 38, Blakely Street, East Liverpool, was fined $150 and sentenced to 30 days in jail for obstructing official business for running from police and refusing to open the door in East Liverpool on April 20. He was also ordered to serve an additional 90 days in jail for several probation violations on 2024 cases for theft and criminal trespass, meaning he’ll be serving a total of 120 days in jail.

Blakely Cooper, 34, Ravine Street, East Liverpool, was fined $250 and given a suspended 30-day jail term for obstructing official business. She was ordered to complete 20 hours community service. Cooper gave a false name and said a man wanted on a warrant was not at the residence in East Liverpool on Nov. 2, 2024. Police found the man hiding in the bath tub.

A pretrial was set May 22 for Justin Cornell, 28, Columbia Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with criminal damaging for allegedly punching a windshield, causing damage on April 30 in East Liverpool. He was fined $100 for expired tags and assured clear distance.

A pretrial was set July 29 for Chad Wright, 42, Jackman Street, East Liverpool, charged with four counts of failure to file city income tax for allegedly failing to file East Liverpool city income tax returns from 2020 to 2023.

All charges were dismissed against Moses Zanders, 37, Pennsylvania Avenue, East Liverpool, who had been charged with failure to pay city income tax and five counts of failure to file city income tax return. He had been accused of failing to pay East Liverpool city income tax in 2019 and failing to file East Liverpool city income tax returns from 2020 to 2024.

Tammy Goodwin, 61, Lisbon Street, East Liverpool, was fined $500 each for three counts of failure to file city income tax returns, with all of the fines suspended. Goodwin must file all due returns and make remittances. She failed to file East Liverpool city income tax returns in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

A pretrial was set May 15 for Laurena Boso, 31, Steubenville Pike Road, Lisbon, charged with illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing a glass pipe with white substance during a traffic stop on May 4 in Lisbon.

A pretrial was set July 10 for Rose Olszyk, 33, Darlington, Pa., charged with drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing a cut straw with residue, commonly used to snort narcotics, during a traffic stop in East Liverpool on Nov. 15, 2024.

Brian McCaslin 48, Woodland Avenue, Salem, was fined $1,000 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 160 days suspended, leaving 10 days to serve in jail and 10 days to serve on electronically monitored house arrest, for operating a vehicle impaired second offense. His driver’s license was suspended for two years, with driving privileges granted, and he was ordered to complete 40 hours community service.

Travis Sobona, 46, Enon Valley, Pa., was fined $250 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 87 days suspended, leaving three days to serve for physical control. His driver’s license was suspended for one year and he was ordered to complete 20 hours community service.

A pretrial was set July 29 for Yvonna Parsons, 40, Academy Street, Salineville, charged with driving under suspension and speeding.

A pretrial was set July 15 for Loghyn Mineard, 22, Monaca, Pa., charged with driving under suspension and improper/expired registration.

Sarah Simonds, 35, Chris Avenue, Washingtonville, was fined $100 for driving under suspension.

Sukhwinder Singh, 43, Poland, was fined $50 for reasonable control.

Robin Plegge, 46, Alliance, was fined $250 for driving under suspension and headlights required.

Common Pleas

New Cases

County Treasurer, Lisbon, vs. Rachel Ashby, Fairfield School Road, Leetonia, et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure sought for McCloskey Road, East Palestine property.

County Treasurer, Lisbon, vs. unknown heirs, etc. of Ray F. Seitz, deceased, service by publication, et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure sought for Y & O Road, East Liverpool property.

County Treasurer, Lisbon, vs. unknown heirs, etc. of Margaret Reed, deceased, service by publication, et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure sought for Old state Route 344, Leetonia property.

County Treasurer, Lisbon, vs. Andrew Schrack, South Street, East Palestine, et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure sought for Gipner Avenue, East Liverpool property.

Jessica Cassinger, Southeast Boulevard, Salem, vs. Theodore Cassinger Jr., Leavittsburg; divorce sought.

Tanner Cope, Monroeville Heights, Salineville, v. Mikayla McCulley, Academy Street, Salineville; divorce sought.

Rocket Mortgage, LLC, Detroit, Mich., vs. Craig Beany, East Woodland Avenue, Columbiana, et al.; mortgage foreclosure sought.

Docket Entries

Perry Rummell Jr. vs. Christina Rummell; divorce granted.

Salem Community Hospital doing business as Salem Regional Medical Center vs. Michael Coe; $15,388 judgment granted to plaintiff.

Court News

LISBON — An East Liverpool man who failed to report a change in his address for the sex offender registration was sentenced to 36 months in prison, to be served at the same time as another sentence he received earlier this year.

Davon Moats, 22, Lisbon Street, East Liverpool, had been scheduled for a jury trial in two separate cases recently in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court when he instead entered a guilty plea to failure to provide notice of change of address and having weapons under disability, both third-degree felonies.

Besides the 36 months for the failure to report change of address, he was sentenced to 18 months for the weapons charge, but both will be served at the same time as the 24-month term he received for violating his probation for another case.

He received credit for 70 days already served. Moats was accused of having a weapon on Oct. 14, 2024 which he was prohibited from having due to a previous conviction. The failure to provide change of address occurred on June 24, 2024.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— Megan D. Behnke, 37, last known address Newell, W.Va., was sentenced to 18 months in prison for third-degree felony escape and fifth-degree felonies of possession of fentanyl-related compound, possession of heroin and aggravated possession of drugs. Charges of possession of cocaine, possession of drugs, possession of fentanyl-related compound and vandalism were being dismissed. Behnke possessed fentanyl on Sept. 26, 2020 and methamphetamine and heroin on April 22, 2021. On Feb. 18, 2024, she was under detention at the Columbiana County jail for a drug charge and was taken to Salem Regional Medical Center where she removed the electronic ankle monitor on her ankle and left. She received credit for 166 days served.

— Anthony Wagoner, 44, Sprucevale Road, East Liverpool, pleaded guilty to charges from two separate indictments, including third-degree felonies of failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and having weapons while under disability, fifth-degree felony aggravated possession of drugs and misdemeanor resisting arrest. Sentencing was set for Aug. 14. On March 12, 2024, Wagoner fled from police and resisted arrest and on July 5, 2023, he possessed methamphetamine and had a firearm when he was prohibited from having one due to a previous conviction.

— Richard Simons, 25, Youngstown, pleaded guilty to aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, with sentencing set for July 21, for possessing methamphetamine on April 11, 2023.

— Johnathan G. Vinkler, 48, Youngstown Pittsburgh Road, Petersburg, pleaded guilty to charges from two separate indictments, including third-degree felony illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto the grounds of a specified governmental facility, fifth-degree felony aggravated possession of drugs, fourth-degree felony strangulation and misdemeanor domestic violence. Another charge of domestic violence was being dismissed. Sentencing was set for July 25. Vinkler was accused of pushing, grabbing, punching and choking a woman with both hands while allegedly threatening her life on Dec. 21, 2024 and possessing methamphetamine and trying to drugs into a detention facility on Oct. 20, 2023.

— Shane Knepper, 54, Woodland Avenue, Salem, pleaded guilty to aggravated possession of drugs, a third-degree felony lesser-included offense, with a specification for forfeiture of money from a drug case. Sentencing was set for July 25. A charge of aggravated trafficking in drugs will be dismissed. Knepper was accused of possessing methamphetamine in an amount equal or greater than bulk but less than five times bulk on Jan. 13, 2024.

— Scott Johns, 45, Creek Road, New Waterford, was placed on a treatment plan for two years after pleading guilty to aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, for possessing THC on Feb. 1, 2024.

— Michael Craig, 45, state Route 170, East Palestine, was placed on a treatment plan for two years after pleading guilty to possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, for possessing tramadol on July 5, 2022.

— Scott Thompson, 51, Butler, Pa., was placed under community control for three years for fifth-degree felony possession of cocaine and misdemeanor drug paraphernalia. A fourth-degree felony promoting prostitution charged was dismissed. He received credit for 38 days served in jail. Thompson was accused of transporting a woman to East Palestine for a sex-for-hire meeting on Nov 18, 2023 and possessing suspected crack cocaine and a crack pipe.

— Brandon Plum, 42, Ravenswood, W.Va., was placed under community control for two years for third-degree felony domestic violence and two counts misdemeanor criminal damaging for throwing a woman down onto the bed, punching the wall several times, damaging a door and throwing her cell phone on April 30, 2020 in St. Clair Township. He received credit for one day served in jail.