Municipal

LISBON — A Beloit man accused of possessing multiple images of minors engaged in sexual acts will face a preliminary hearing at 1 p.m. July 7 in Columbiana County Municipal Court.

Joseph Paul Sabella, 37, Stanley Drive, who authorities said worked as a chaplain according to news partner WKBN, was charged with pandering obscenity-create produce publish materials for commercial exploitation, a second-degree felony, pandering obscenity-buy process possess obscene material, a fourth-degree felony, and illegal use of a minor in nudity oriented material, a fifth-degree felony.

His bond was set at $50,000 cash or surety during his initial appearance Thursday in court and he was ordered to have no contact with any minors.

According to an affidavit submitted by an agent with the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force, investigators found that on April 8 this year, Sabella allegedly uploaded and published an image of a child being sexually assaulted by an adult male.

On July 2, agents executed a search warrant at his Stanley Drive home in Beloit and learned he was allegedly in possession of 66 printed images of minors engaging in sex acts and 64 printed images of minors in a state of nudity.

The affidavit said “a brief perusal of numerous electronic devices seized indicated Sabella was in possession of thousands of images of child sexual assault material” and also “thousands of images of minors engaged in sex acts and in states of nudity.”

Also in Columbiana County Municipal Court, cases against Brandon E. Hacker, 32, Jimtown Road, East Palestine, were bound over to the county grand jury for third-degree felony having weapons under disability and misdemeanors of aggravated menacing, illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia and menacing by stalking. Charges of first-degree felonies of aggravated burglary and felonious assault were dismissed. Hacker was accused of allegedly going to a woman’s apartment in Perry Township and threatening her, saying he had a gun and was going to kill her, threatening to shoot her in the head on June 18. He was found with a handgun on his person and had a small baggie with a crystal like substance in his possession. He also made a threat against a relative of the victim. He allegedly made threats to kill the victim multiple times over the past three months. He was prohibited from having a weapon due to a previous felony conviction.

A case against Austin Lowe, 29, Apple Blossom Trail, Beloit, was bound over to the county grand jury for violation of a protection order, a fifth-degree felony, for allegedly contacting a protected person through text messaging and social media on June 1 in Butler Township.

Gregory Dailey, 37, Bates Street, East Liverpool, was fined $700 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with credit for seven days served, leaving a balance of 83 days to serve in jail for aggravated menacing, possession of drug abuse instrument, two counts drug paraphernalia, and obstructing official business amended from a felony to a misdemeanor. Dailey possessed used syringes and glass meth pipes during a standoff with police on June 26 in St. Clair Township, refusing to come outside and telling police he had a loaded pistol and a hostage inside the residence. After 20 minutes, he surrendered himself. One of the drug paraphernalia charges stemmed from a traffic stop on Sept. 15, 2024 when he possessed a white cloudy crystal rock.

A preliminary hearing was set July 14 for Eric Travis, 43, state Route 14, Columbiana, charged with felonious assault, a second-degree felony, for allegedly putting a 9mm pistol into a woman’s mouth during an argument on June 27 in Fairfield Township.

A preliminary/pretrial hearing was set July 10 for Trina Charlene Cornett, 39, Canton, charged with fifth-degree felony strangulation and misdemeanor domestic violence for allegedly strangling another woman on March 20 in Minerva.

A preliminary/pretrial hearing was set July 24 for Tina Gardner, 35, Granite Street, Salem, charged with fourth-degree felony improper handling firearms in a motor vehicle and misdemeanor illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing a loaded firearm in her purse and a purple lid with a white crystal-like substance during a traffic stop on July 1 in Salem. K-9 Fero alerted to the presence of a narcotic odor coming from the vehicle during the stop.

A preliminary/pretrial hearing was set July 10 for Justin Buckel, 33, Dakota Street, East Liverpool, charged with fourth-degree felony failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and misdemeanors of no driver’s license and reckless operation. On July 1 in East Liverpool, he allegedly failed to stop for police attempting a traffic stop of his motorcycle.

Tristan Taylor, 33, Commerce Street, Wellsville, was fined $250 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 170 days suspended and credit for one day served, leaving a balance of nine days still to serve in jail for assault amended from domestic violence. Taylor was ordered to complete 20 hours community service. Taylor was accused of assaulting a woman, pulling her and fighting with her, ripping her purse and the sleeve off of her jacket on Dec. 25, 2024 in Wellsville.

Cynthia Miller, 68, West Lincoln Way, Lisbon, was fined $250 and given a suspended 180-day jail term for assault amended from domestic violence. She was ordered to complete 25 hours community service. Miller was accused of assaulting a man during a domestic on May 8 in Center Township.

Sarah Eddy, 44, Seventh Avenue, East Liverpool, was fined $100 for disorderly conduct amended from assault. Eddy was accused of striking another woman in the face on Sept. 13, 2024 in East Liverpool.

Shawn Timmons, 39, East Third Street, Salem, was fined $350 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 89 days suspended and credit for one day served, for obstructing official business and disorderly conduct. Timmons was ordered to complete 20 hours community service. He had barricaded himself inside a Salem residence on Jan. 21 and shouted several profanities at officers and refused to come out. Officers made entry and found he had self-inflicted injuries and called for EMS. When he was being brought up the stairs, he allegedly made a gesture and reached for an officer’s service weapon. While at the hospital, he was shouting profanities at staff and causing a disturbance for other patients.

Barry Cooper, 69, U.S. Route 30, Lisbon, was fined $250 and given a suspended 180-day jail term for assault amended from domestic violence. He was ordered to complete 25 hours community service. Cooper assaulted a woman during a domestic on May 8 in Center Township.

Richard Vecchio, 63, state Route 164, Lisbon, was fined $250 and sentenced to 10 days in jail, with credit for seven days served, leaving a balance of three days to serve in jail for menacing, public indecency and disorderly conduct. Vecchio exposed his private parts and made a fist and stepped toward someone, making a threat during an incident on June 26 at Circle K on North Market Street in Lisbon.

Joseph Perkins, 24, East Park Avenue, Columbiana, was fined $500 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 178 days suspended and credit for two days served, for theft and resisting arrest. He was ordered to complete 30 hours community service and to have no contact with the Calcutta Walmart. On June 5, Perkins took a weed eater from a shelf at the Calcutta Walmart and tried to return it at customer service, which was denied, then he walked out without paying for the weed eater. When he was stopped by a loss prevention officer, he dropped the weed eater and fled. Later when police apprehended him, Perkins tried to pull away from officers.