Municipal

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, a preliminary/pretrial hearing was set June 23 for Rebecca Lynn Simpson, 53, state Route 7, New Waterford, charged with second-degree felony discharge firearm prohibited premises and misdemeanor aggravated menacing for allegedly making threats to cut a woman with a box cutter on June 12 and then showing up at the woman’s residence in Liverpool Township on June 14 and shooting into her house with a gun, then fleeing.

According to the police affidavit filed with the aggravated menacing charge, Simpson contacted the woman’s daughter to say she was going to harm her mother with a box cutter style knife. On a video sent to the woman from her daughter, a female called “Becky” could be heard saying she was going to the residence and telling the woman her grandchild was killed so she’ll open the door, then she said she will cut the woman’s forehead with the box cutter style knife, then cut her legs, mouth and cut her tongue out.

The police affidavit for the June 14 incident said that the woman looked out the side window near her front door after her stepdaughter said a grey car was in the driveway. She then said she saw Simpson allegedly standing outside the grey car pointing a gun at the residence in the direction where the victim was standing and then the victim heard gun shots ring out. The woman yelled for the stepdaughter to grab the 6-year-old grandchild, who was also near the front door, and flee to the back bedroom for safety where they barricaded themselves into the bedroom and hid in the closet. Officers found two spent shell casings and one live round in the driveway in the area where the grey car had been parked. They found the spent rounds, with one on the sideway area and one in the ashtray on the front porch. One round grazed the wood trim around the top of the porch and struck the brick above the front door where the victim had been standing. The other round went through a lawn chair and struck the brick. Simpson allegedly fled the area, but crashed her vehicle on Sprucevale Road and was taken into custody by St. Clair Township police. An officer located a black 9 mm handgun underneath the driver seat of her vehicle with a live round in the chamber and additional rounds in the magazine.

A preliminary hearing was set June 23 for Andrew Freed, 18, Hadley Road, East Palestine, charged with fifth-degree felonies of breaking and entering and possessing criminal tools for allegedly using a metal object to force the door open to unlawfully gain entry to Tiger Smoke and Vape, North Market Street, East Palestine, on June 15 and remove numerous items from the store shelves and leave the store.

Charges of misdemeanor domestic violence, first-degree felony aggravated burglary and fourth-degree felony receiving stolen property were dismissed against Dylan Walsh, 24, Lacroft Avenue, East Liverpool. Walsh was accused of allegedly breaking into a woman’s locked residence while she was inside on Feb. 26 in East Liverpool and shoving her off of a chair against a wall, also punching her twice, chasing her when she attempted to flee the residence, and then grabbing her hair and the back of her neck in an attempt to take her cell phone to stop her from calling police. The victim said he was driving a Jeep that she suspected was stolen, with police finding the vehicle had been reported stolen in Salem on Dec. 13, 2024.

Abigail Kiger, 21, North Shadylane, East Liverpool, was fined $300 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 176 days suspended and credit for four days served, for assault amended from domestic violence. She was accused of hitting another woman on May 29 in East Liverpool.

A charge of violating a protection order was dismissed against Thomas Hackney, 44, Maple Avenue, Wellsville. He had been accused of allegedly violating the terms of a protection order by contacting the protected person on March 10 in Madison Township.

A pretrial was set June 23 for Elliott McMurray, 35, Empire Street, Leetonia, charged with domestic violence, reckless operation and a stop sign violation for allegedly jabbing a woman in the shoulder and making threats of violence against her on June 15 in Lisbon.

A sentencing hearing was set June 23 for Tyler D. Forshey, 25, Uniontown, who pleaded guilty to engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools. Forshey was accused of requesting sexual conduct for an agreed upon price of $40 from an undercover agent and driving to Salem on June 13 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession. The police affidavit noted that he’s a registered sex offender in Ohio and that he’s tagged by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections Security Threat Group as a member of a white separatist gang.

A pretrial was set Sept. 4 for Todd James OHara, 48, Westville Lake Road, Beloit, charged with engaging in prostitution, possessing criminal tools and operating a vehicle impaired first offense for allegedly responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranging for sexual activity with a female in exchange for $140, driving to East Palestine on June 13 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.

A pretrial was set Sept. 4 for William Kundinger, 34, Freeland, Mich., charged with engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools for allegedly requesting sexual conduct for an agreed upon price of $120 from an undercover agent, then driving to Salem for the meeting on June 13 with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.

A pretrial was set Sept. 4 for Sidi Abeid, 21, Raleigh, N.C., charged with engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools for allegedly responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranging for sexual activity with females in exchange for $140, then traveling to East Palestine on June 13 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.

John Lamont Mills, 33, Torrance, Pa., was fined $750 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 87 days suspended and credit for three days served, for engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools. He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service and a prostitution prevention course. Mills responded to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranged for sexual activity with a female in exchange for $260, then drove to East Palestine for the meeting on June 13.

Jose Rene Andino, 26, McDonald, Pa., was fined $350 and given a suspended 180-day jail term for two counts of possessing criminal tools, with one amended from engaging in prostitution. He was ordered to complete 35 hours of community service and a prostitution prevention course. Andino responded to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranged for sexual activity with a female in exchange for $240, then drove to East Palestine on Dec. 26, 2024 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.

Reva Sue McCullough, 34, Gipner Avenue, East Liverpool, was fined $725 and sentenced to three days in jail, with credit for two days served, leaving one day still to serve, for OVI, disorderly conduct, driving under suspension, loud exhaust, failure to produce license and drug paraphernalia. Her driver’s license was suspended for one year. She also possessed a glass smoking device with white burnt residue during a traffic stop on Oct. 8 in East Liverpool. After she was placed in custody, she repeatedly hit the rear divider of the police cruiser and continuously screamed and did not stop after being told repeatedly to stop.

A pretrial was set Sept. 8 for Nevaeh O’Hanlon, 18, Dunn Road, East Liverpool, charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly fighting at Rich Oil in Wellsville on Dec. 8, 2024.

Christopher Stauffer, 42, North Street, Beloit, was fined $1,225 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 175 days suspended and credit for two days served in jail and three days served in a driver intervention program, for theft, driving under suspension, a turn signal violation and physical control amended from OVI. His driver’s license was suspended for one year and he was ordered to complete 25 hours community service. He was also told to stay out of the Salem Giant Eagle. Stauffer was accused of stealing $361 worth of merchandise from Salem Giant Eagle on March 10, 2024.

Davin Koons, 22, Depot Road, Salem, was fined $525 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 87 suspended and credit for three days served in a driver intervention program, for reasonable control and physical control amended from OVI. Another OVI charge was dismissed. He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service.

Cody Reckner, 30, South Main Street, Columbiana, was fined $905 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 170 days suspended, leaving a balance of 10 days to serve in jail for OVI second offense amended from OVI third offense at the request of the prosecutor, reckless operation, no seat belt, no license and expired sticker. Another OVI charge and a charge of driving under suspension were dismissed by the prosecutor. His driver’s license was suspended for two years and he was ordered to complete 25 hours community service.

Rachel Hoffman, 23, Youngstown, was fined $100 for two counts of reckless operation, with with one amended from OVI first offense.

Allan Murphy, 32, Creek Road, New Waterford, was fined $150 for driving under suspension.

Taylor Troup, 28, Oak Street, East Liverpool, was fined $35 for speeding.

Evan Hughes, 25, Bank Street, East Liverpool, was fined $50 for driving under suspension.

A sentencing hearing was set Aug. 12 for Charles Hilditch, 64, Lang Street, East Liverpool, who pleaded no contest and was found guilty to failure to stop after an accident.

A pretrial was set Sept. 8 for Michelle Hall, 48, West Washington Street, Lisbon, charged with driving under 12-point suspension.

A pretrial was set Sept. 2 for Steven Shaffer Jr., 41, Moore Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with driving under suspension and expired license plates.

A pretrial was set July 17 for Zachary Davidson, 64, Chester, W.Va., charged with improper/expired registration.

A pretrial was set Sept. 2 for Noor Amin, 26, Pittsburgh, Pa., charged with speeding.

Common Pleas

New Cases

Kayla Johnson, West Egypt Road, Minerva, and Brian Barber, West Egypt Road, Minerva; dissolution sought.

Michael Kulick, Dyke Road, Negley and Carolann Kulick, Cicero, N.Y.; dissolution sought.

Docket Entries

PNC Bank vs. Carl Buhn Jr.; judgment entry corrected, $11,113 judgment granted to plaintiff.

Midfirst Bank vs. Samantha Frampton, et al.; mortgage foreclosure ordered for Ohio Avenue, Salem property.

Capital One, N.A. vs. James Morehead; $15,591 judgment granted to plaintiff.

Marriage Licenses

Shane Logston, 29, New Cumberland, W.Va., Hancock County deputy sheriff, and Alicia Grey, 27, New Cumberland, W.Va., pharmacy tech.

Robert Thayer, 38, East Liverpool, cultivation and post harvest manager, and Brittany DeSarro, 35, East Liverpool, lead clinician.

Noah Schlobach, 25, East Palestine, pallet shop, and Viola Miller, 18, Kensington, unemployed.

Shane Seddon, 25, East Palestine, diesel mechanic, and Kiersten Cusick, 23, East Palestine, medical assistant.

Samuel Ferguson, 24, Lisbon, carpenter, and Teddi Kinsey, 23, Wellsville, marketing coordinator.

Garrett Hamilton, 31, Wellsville, dairy/frozen manager, and Brooke Kosko, 32, Wellsville, care coordinator.

Scott Ellis, 61, Salem, supervisor, and Candice Armstrong, 55, Salem, corporate environmental director.

William Paynter, 31, Salem, maintenance planner, and Sarah Bobby, 30, Salem, teacher.

Jay George, 39, Salem, accessories technician, and Jessica Wise, 35, Salem, medical billing specialist.

Chandler Trosky, 41, Negley, car salesman, and April Pettigrew, 38, Negley, dental hygienist.

Jason Corbin, 45, Wellsville, field service engineer, and Tiffany Dehaven, 44, Wellsville, mental health therapist.

Edward Little Jr., 49, Columbiana, supervisor customer service, and Danielle Aeschbacher, 35, Columbiana, teacher.

Richard Bailey, 44, Salineville, tile setter, and Brandy Moore, 42, Salineville, unemployed.

Corey Cody, 31, Salem, press operator, and Kaitlyn Roan, 32, Salem, pharmacy tech.

Morgan Cameron, 21, Beloit, fast food, and Jessica Shasteen, 21, Kensington, self employed.

Paul Beaver, 26, Leetonia, sales manager, and Katherine Aquaro, 23, Leetonia, customer service.

Court News

LISBON — A Chagrin Falls woman found not guilty by reason of insanity in April for a failure to comply charge was granted conditional release into the community under specific rules for release, with a review hearing set for Dec. 15.

Rachael Butler, 61, appeared recently in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court for a commitment hearing, with the court finding the least restrictive commitment alternative available consistent with public safety and Butler’s welfare to be conditional release in the community.

Butler had been evaluated by the Forensic Psychiatric Center of Northeast Ohio. She had been found not guilty by reason of insanity for a third-degree felony charge of failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer. Butler allegedly fled from Salem police officers attempting a traffic stop on Aug. 28, 2024.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— Phillip Devine, 35, Monroe Avenue, Salem, pleaded guilty to a lesser offense of attempted strangulation, a first-degree misdemeanor instead of fourth-degree felony strangulation, and first-degree misdemeanor assault. A domestic violence charge will be dismissed. Sentencing was set for Aug. 21. Devine allegedly became violent, grasping a woman on either side of the base of the neck, and forcefully squeezing and shaking her, leaving abrasions on her neck on Dec. 15, 2024 in Salem.

— Lonnie Cunningham, 32, Riverview Street, East Liverpool, was found competent to stand trial for third-degree felony burglary charge for allegedly trespassing in an occupied structure to commit theft on Nov. 22, 2024. A further status hearing was set Aug. 13, with a jury trial set for Aug. 25.