Municipal

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, a pretrial was set Sept. 9 for David Robert Boyd, 29, Louisville, Ky., charged with possessing criminal tools and solicitation for allegedly offering sexual activity for a fee by texting a tow truck driver who had provided vehicle service to him on June 1 at Sheetz in Calcutta. The tow truck driver had provided time updates for the service with his cell phone via text messages. After leaving the call for service, Boyd texted the driver videos of a sexual nature along with photos offering sexual activity for $60. The tow truck driver called the police after receiving the texts. St. Clair Township officers allegedly found a prostitution ad by Boyd, learned he was staying at a hotel in Calcutta and later conducted a traffic stop on him. He allegedly said he was going to accept cash payment for sexual activity if the driver accepted. The phone used to make the proposition was in his possession.

A pretrial was set Sept. 8 for Stacy Ray Mayne, 54, Sandy Lake, Pa., charged with possessing criminal tools and engaging in prostitution for allegedly responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranging for sexual activity with a woman in exchange for money, then driving to East Palestine on June 6 for the meeting, with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.

A pretrial was set June 16 for Kyle Adams, 29, Georgetown Damascus Road, Beloit, charged with domestic violence for allegedly grabbing a woman’s arm and pushing her on April 15 at the Beloit property.

A pretrial was set Aug. 26 for Debra Sue Farkas, 66, South Lane Drive, Hanoverton, charged with domestic violence, resisting arrest and obstructing official business for allegedly grabbing a woman by the arm and squeezing during a domestic dispute between her, the woman and a man whose vehicle she tore up, throwing his papers around. While a deputy was trying to talk to the victims, she continued to interject into the conversation despite being told multiple times to remain on her porch. During her arrest, she allegedly tried to pull away from the deputy attempting to handcuff her.

A pretrial was set June 16 for Brett Goughnour, 50, Shadyside, charged with criminal damaging, resisting arrest, assault, menacing and open container for allegedly attempting to assault a police officer while being placed into custody in the parking lot of the Wellsville McDonald’s restaurant on June 7. Police had been called to the lot for a person who appeared intoxicated sitting in his vehicle. He told officers he was intoxicated, then started making threats toward them. When he was taken out of the vehicle, he attempted to elbow an officer, then punched the other officer in the head. He was tased twice during the altercation. During the incident, Goughnour allegedly damaged an officer’s radio. He also allegedly had an open can of beer in the cupholder of his vehicle.

Ethan Hart, 19, East Washington Street, Lisbon, was fined $1,800, with $500 of the fine suspended, and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 167 days suspended and credit for three days served, leaving a balance of 10 days to serve in jail for two counts of operating a vehicle impaired, along with charges of driving under suspension, driving on sidewalk, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. His driver’s license was suspended for one year and he was ordered to complete 25 hours community service. Hart was accused of failing to leave a bar in East Liverpool after being told numerous times to leave and then resisting arrest on Jan. 19 in East Liverpool.

A pretrial was set Sept. 9 for Tiffany Aitken, 43, Pearl Street, Leetonia, charged with obstructing official business for allegedly concealing a man wanted on a warrant for his arrest in Leetonia on June 3. After being arrested, the man said she was aware of the warrant and he had been staying at the residence on Pearl Street, Leetonia for several weeks.

Charges of physical control and use of unauthorized plate were dismissed without prejudice against Robert Gailey, 51, last known address Wilbert Avenue, East Liverpool. The court document said the police department failed to provide the prosecutor with evidence for discovery though requested. East Liverpool police issued the charges.

A pretrial was set Sept. 9 for Nathan Evan, 25, Youngstown, charged with street racing.

A pretrial was set for Andrei Cimponeriu, 25, Saybrook Boulevard, Columbiana, charged with street racing.

A pretrial was set Sept. 15 for Ena Marie Hill, 44, Cleveland, charged with speeding.

Matt Juillerat, 34, East Washington Street, Lisbon, was fined $350 for no license amended from driving under suspension.

Jeremy McNish, 38, East Main Street, Washingtonville, was fined $100 for driving under suspension.

Miguel Angel Ortiz Jimenez, 41, Youngstown, was fined $180 for driving under suspension, speeding and no seat belt.

Jason Kane, 41, West Ninth Street, East Liverpool, was fined $150 for driving under suspension.

Mirela Huber, 31, Girard, was fined $150 for an equipment violation amended from speeding.

Common Pleas

New Cases

Lynn Boyer, Sprucevale Road, East Liverpool, and James Boyer, Steubenville; dissolution sought.

Nationstar Mortgage LLC, Coppell, Texas, vs. James D. Williams, St. Clair Avenue, East Liverpool, et al.; mortgage foreclosure sought for Columbiana County property.

Seven Seventeen Credit Union, Inc., Warren, vs. Alexandra Cox, also known as Alexandra Taylor, Robin Avenue, Salem; collection sought of alleged debts totaling $3,741 and $15,804 plus unpaid interest of $2,824.

Docket Entries

Britney Rance vs. Justin Rance; divorce granted.

Jeremy Shafer and Abigail Shafer; dissolution granted.

Dylan Morgan vs. Melissa Morgan; divorce granted.

Seven Seventeen Credit Union, Inc. vs. Michael McLaughlin; $15,398 judgment granted to plaintiff, plus $279 interest.

County Treasurer vs. William Poling, et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure ordered for Van Buren Avenue, Salem property.

Marriage Licenses

Stephen Whitman, 57, Salem, robot tech, and Michelle Ruffner, 50, Salem, legal secretary.

Jeffrey Williams, 34, Lisbon, teacher, and Rasheeda Kalam, 27, Columbiana, social worker.

Aaron Seidner, 37, Lisbon, highway technician, and Chrystal Johnson, 51, Lisbon, certified medical assistant.

Floyd Pugh II, 62, East Liverpool, retired, and Angela Hatzi, 50, East Liverpool, unemployed.

Brandon Rawson, 24, Lisbon, laborer, and Kayla Bailes, 24, Lisbon, unemployed.

Brandon McCallister, 28, Lisbon, maintenance tech, and Veronique Crawford, 29, Lisbon, corrections officer.

Charles Lindsay, 24, New Waterford, lease operator, and Anna Gorby, 23, New Waterford, self-employed.

James Doerle, 24, Salem, lab tech, and Lydia Martin, 23, Salem, chef.

Craig Drzal, 58, Salem, retired, and Lisa Kekel, 56, Salem, teacher’s aide.

Kevin Hall, 32, Salineville, truck driver, and Caragan Kanouff, 29, Salineville, unemployed.

Lucas Sabrosky, 54, Salem, truck driver, and Samantha Klippert, 53, Salem, unemployed.

Samuel Ray Shasteen Sr., 70, Kensington, retired, and Pamela Lynn Freeman, also known as Pamela Lynn Soliday, 64, Kensington, disabled.

Grand Jury

LISBON — Two drug defendants were served recently with secret indictments issued by the Columbiana County Grand Jury.

Charles Bosel, 35, Fair Avenue, Salem, was charged with aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, for allegedly possessing methamphetamine on April 25, 2023.

Andrew Brown, 41, Elmwood Drive, Lisbon, was charged with possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a fifth-degree felony, for allegedly possessing fentanyl on June 7, 2024.

Court News

LISBON — A Lisbon man accused of multiple felony counts related to his possession of nude images of children was sentenced to at least 10 years in prison.

Matthew Spack, 38, state Route 172, appeared Friday in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court for sentencing before Judge Megan Bickerton, who ordered consecutive sentences for each count, bringing the total to 10 to 11 years in prison since two counts warranted indefinite sentences of two to three years each for pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person, a second-degree felony.

Bickerton sentenced him to six months each for five counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor or impair person, a fourth-degree felony, and seven counts of illegal use of a minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance, a fifth-degree felony.

Spack received credit for 60 days served in jail.

He was designated a Tier II sex offender required him to register for the sex offender registration every 180 days for 25 years.

According to a police affidavit filed in county Municipal Court, Spack was accused of creating, reproducing or publishing videos depicting children engaging in sexual activity. When officers executed a search warrant at his house, images depicting minor females in a state of nudity were found on his cell phone. The date listed on the indictment for the offenses was Nov. 13, 2024.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— Jason McEldowney, 38, Ravine Street, was sentenced to an indefinite term of four to six years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree felonies of aggravated possession of drugs and possession of fentanyl-related compound and misdemeanor possession of drugs, along with specifications for forfeiture of money in a drug case. He was given a mandatory fine of $7,500 each for the two felony drug counts and his driver’s license was suspended for five years. He was ordered to forfeit $60. On July 13, 2024, McEldowney possessed $60, xylazine, methamphetamine in an amount equal or greater than five times bulk but less than 50 times bulk and fentanyl in an amount equal or greater than 10 grams but less than 20 grams.

— Branden Robinson, 41, West Ninth Street, East Liverpool, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for fourth-degree felony aggravated assault, a lesser known offense of the original charge of second-degree felony felonious assault, and third-degree felony tampering with evidence. A charge of misdemeanor criminal damaging will be dismissed. Robinson received credit for 229 days served in jail. He was accused of pointing a loaded handgun and pulling the trigger in an attempt to physically harm another man in a fit of rage Oct. 19, 2024 in East Liverpool. The tampering charge stemmed from him throwing a spent shall casing out of the window of his vehicle while fleeing the scene. He also smashed the windshield out of the man’s car.

— Christopher Osborne, 44, Riley Avenue, East Liverpool, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for third-degree felony failure to provide notice of change of address and fourth-degree felony domestic violence, with credit for 134 days served in jail. A charge of misdemeanor domestic violence will be dismissed. Osborne registered a Wellsville address with the county sheriff’s office in October 2014 as required since he’s a Tier II sex offender, but then listed an address in East Liverpool when he was booked into the county jail on Jan. 19. He was required to notify the sheriff’s office 20 days prior to changing his address, an affidavit said. The domestic violence stemmed from him busting through a door and charging at a woman, then shoving her into a wall, causing her to drop to her knees on Jan. 19 in East Liverpool.

— Jeremy Mahalek, 43, Franklin Square Road, Leetonia, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for a lesser included offense of third-degree felony burglary, originally a second-degree felony. A charge of misdemeanor criminal trespass will be dismissed. He received credit for 177 days already served. He was accused of trespassing in an occupied structure on Sept. 3, 2021.

— Corey A. Schutte, 30, Akron, was sentenced to eight months in prison and given a mandatory fine of $1,350 for fourth-degree felony operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, a drug of abuse or a combination of both for a traffic stop on Aug. 2, 2024 when he was impaired and had three prior OVI convictions from 2023, 2020 and 2017 on his record. Another OVI charge was dismissed. He received credit for one day already served in jail and his driver’s license was suspended for 10 years.

— Jason Koehn, 23, Mountz Road, Minerva, was placed under community control for three years for two counts of trespass in a habitation when a person is present or likely to be present, a fourth-degree felony, with credit for 120 days already served. He was ordered to make restitution of $350. Koehn was accused of trespassing into two separate Minerva area properties while residents were home, including with children present, on Feb. 4.

— Richard P. Austin, 35, Alice Street, East Palestine,was placed under community control for three years after pleading guilty to fifth-degree felony improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle, and misdemeanors of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, a drug of abuse or a combination of them and using weapons while intoxicated for being impaired and possessing a loaded handgun in his waistband after crashing his car in East Liverpool on March 9, 2024. He received a mandatory fine of $575 and his driver’s license was suspended for 12 months. He was ordered to serve three days in jail, but will receive credit for three days served in a driver intervention program.

— Kerry Lytle, 49, Lisbon Street, East Liverpool, was placed on a treatment plan for three years after pleading guilty to fifth-degree felony theft for failing to pay the proper price for multiple items at the Calcutta Giant Eagle from April 18, 2024 to April 25, 2024. She was ordered to make restitution of $3,784.

— Alexander Ashley, 20, Tallmadge, was placed under community control for three years for fourth-degree felony trespass in a habitation when a person is present or likely to be present for trespassing in a Wellsville home on July 28, 2024.

— Christina Butler, 35, Canton, was sentenced to six months in prison for misdemeanor soliciting and fifth-degree felony possessing criminal tools, a lesser included offense, with credit for 16 days already served in jail.. She was originally charged with promoting prostitution, a fourth-degree felony. A misdemeanor charge of possessing criminal tools will be dismissed. Butler was accused of posting an ad on a known prostitution website and soliciting sexual conduct from an undercover agent posing as a purchaser of sex for $400, which included gas money. During an undercover phone conversation, she also told the agent she posted an ad on the same website for another woman to solicit sexual conduct from him, then traveled to Salem on Sept. 14, 2024 for the meeting.

— Marcus Reed, 22, Nittany Drive, Summitville, was ordered to serve a term at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center for violated the terms of his treatment plan for aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. The treatment plan was dishonorably terminated. Reed possessed methamphetamine on Feb. 5, 2024.

— Mandy Hale, 44, Canton, pleaded guilty to third-degree felony tampering with evidence, fifth-degree felony obstructing official business and misdemeanor illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia, with sentencing set for Aug. 22. A charge of resisting arrest will be dismissed. During a traffic stop on March 12 in Columbiana, an officer saw suspected methamphetamine in Hale’s lap. When he was putting on gloves to retrieve the suspected drugs, she grabbed a handful off of her lap and threw it toward the officer and out the driver side window. She then resisted arrest and would not get out of the vehicle or place the vehicle in park. The vehicle rolled forward several feet before the passenger put the vehicle in park. A digital scale and razor blade were located after a search.