Municipal

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, a psychological examination by the Forensic Psychiatric Center of Northeast Ohio was ordered for Jonathan D. Cook, 42, Oak Street, Leetonia, for competency and sanity.

Cook has three separate criminal cases pending, including the latest for menacing for alleging making credible threats to seriously injure or cause the death of a woman and her family by saying he would take a hatchet to them, an affidavit said. The threat occurred April 23 during a group counseling session at the Columbiana County jail where Cook has been held since an April 6 incident in Leetonia.

For that incident, he’s facing charges of aggravated menacing, criminal damaging, resisting arrest, obstructing official business and disorderly conduct for allegedly throwing a metal knife, an axe, a frying pan, a steel tumbler and car parts at the side of a neighboring residence in close proximity of a window that one of three victims was standing behind as he screamed profanities at all of them on Oak Street, Leetonia. He then refused to exit his residence as Leetonia officers attempted to place him in custody and barricaded himself in his house by placing a propane tank and numerous items against the rear door.

A third case was for disorderly conduct for allegedly screaming profusely while inside and outside his residence causing neighbors to call emergency services on two separate occasions and also for striking and punching multiple things inside the residence on Feb. 13. Leetonia Police had allegedly warned him on multiple occasions.

A preliminary/pretrial hearing was set May 4 for Randy Allison Martin, 39, Broadway Avenue, Wellsville, charged with fifth-degree felony vandalism and misdemeanors of theft and escape for allegedly leaving East Liverpool City Hospital and prying off the electronic ankle monitor placed on him by the sheriff’s office when he was receiving treatment at the hospital on April 20, damaging the ankle monitor. On Feb. 18, he allegedly removed merchandise from the packaging and concealed the items on his person, with three items valued at $56, at the Calcutta Walmart, then fled on foot.

A preliminary/pretrial hearing was set May 4 for Gage M. Gillespie, 18, Vine Street, East Liverpool, charged with fourth-degree felony grand theft auto and misdemeanor criminal damaging for allegedly stealing a motorcycle on April 19 in East Liverpool, removing lights, cutting wires and defacing the vehicle emblems.

A sentencing hearing was set May 4 for Alex N. Deetz, 36, Uhrichsville, who pleaded no contest and was found guilty of domestic violence and aggravated menacing for making multiple threats to come to a couple’s residence to murder them and burn down their house on March 29 in Rogers.

A pretrial was set May 11 for Shane Robert Murphy, 20, South Linden Avenue, Alliance, charged with two counts of menacing for allegedly making threats against a woman and a man, to slit their throats and shoot them during a telephone conversation in Leetonia on Feb. 9, also threatening another woman. He was also set May 11 for a probation violation hearing for a 2025 case of assault and attempted vandalism.

Gregg A. Robinson, 51, Ohio Avenue, Salem, was fined $250 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 89 days suspended and credit for one day served, for assault amended from domestic violence. Robinson was accused of hitting a relative in the head with a flashlight, pushing him down and striking him with his fists on July 24, 2025 in Salem Township.

Thomas R. Welsh, 40, East Fourth Street, Salem, was sentenced to 120 days in jail, with credit for 67 days served, leaving a balance of 53 days still to serve in jail for assault, criminal trespass, drug paraphernalia and three counts of violating a protection order for multiple incidents in Salem. On April 15, he contacted protected person via text message. On March 24, he was observed in the area with two protected people in the downtown area. On Jan. 18, he attacked another man in the head with a pair of channel locks. On Sept. 3, 2025, he was found in the basement of a property after being evicted. On Aug. 11, 2025, he rode an electric scooter past a pair of protected people and was yelling at them. On July 1, 2025 during a traffic stop, he possessed a purple lid with white crystal material while he was a passenger.

Cody McKinney, 36, Dayton Avenue, Salem, was fined $150 and sentenced to 30 days in jail, with credit for 20 days served, leaving a balance of 10 days to serve in jail for disorderly conduct amended from violation of a protection order. The jail time was also for violating the terms of his probation for a 2018 domestic violence case. The disorderly conduct case stemmed from him driving past a protected person’s house in Salem on Sept. 29, 2019 and waving to a one of the protected persons.

A pretrial was set June 30 for Nicholas H. Frase, 28, old state Route 154, New Waterford, charged with endangering children for allegedly abusing a toddler by hitting the child with a wooden spoon on March 29, 2025 in Salem.

A pretrial was set June 22 for Samir Foad Esmail, 34, Youngstown, 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 in exchange for money, then traveling to East Palestine on April 24 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession. The affidavit went into detail about what he was requesting from the woman.

A pretrial was set May 6 for Jacob Dawayne Rochwick, 46, New Castle, Pa., 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 a woman in exchange for money, then traveling to East Palestine on April 24 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession. The affidavit said he already had another hearing set for May 6 for another case of engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools from an incident Oct. 31, 2025 in East Palestine.

A pretrial was set July 1 for Gregory A. Morelli, 49, Berlin Center, 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 a woman in exchange for $140 and asking if she knew someone that could get him crack cocaine, then traveling to East Palestine on Feb. 23 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.

A pretrial was set June 22 for Vincent Arnell Myers, 26, Youngstown, 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 in exchange for $140,, then traveling to East Palestine on April 23 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.

A pretrial was set June 23 for David A. Gosselin, 73, Hartford, Conn., 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 a woman in exchange for $100, then traveling to East Palestine on April 25 with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.

A pretrial was set July 20 for Venkatesh Varadharajan, 36, Pittsburgh, Pa., charged with engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools for allegedly responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and requesting sexual activity with a woman, asking her to obtain another woman for a threesome in exchange for $200, then traveling to East Palestine on April 26 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession. The affidavit said he requested he receive a pardon, advising he works in a bank.

A pretrial was set June 30 for Michael W. Shreve, 69, Alpha Street, East Liverpool, charged with discharge firearm for allegedly shooting a gun in the city of East Liverpool on April 19. The police affidavit said he told police he shot his dog nine times in the head and showed the officer where he buried the animal where eight spent .22-caliber shell casings were found.

A pretrial was set July 13 for David Allen Barckhoff, 44, Grimms Bridge Road, Calcutta, charged with theft for allegedly stuffing a bottle of liquor in the back of his pants on April 25 and leaving without paying from the Four Seasons Mini Mart in St. Clair Township

Tyler Eugene Blackburn, 19, East Martin Street, East Palestine, was fined $100 for criminal damaging for striking a television with his fist and causing damage on Feb. 26 in East Palestine.

A pretrial was set July 13 for James R. Wilson, 30, Church Street, New Waterford, charged with possession of drug abuse instrument, illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia and improper/expired registration for allegedly possessing a plastic bag with a white crystal substance and hypodermic needle during a traffic stop in Salem on April 24.

A pretrial was set July 13 for Justin A. Larkins, 26, Applegate Road, Lisbon, charged with obstructing official business for allegedly refusing to provide police with his identification on April 25 in Salem.

A pretrial was set May 6 for Troy A. Hughes, 53, East Third Street, Salem, charged with operating a vehicle impaired third offense, OVI refusal with prior within 20 years, driving under suspension and left of center. Another OVI charge was dismissed.

A pretrial was set June 29 for Jacob Andrew Struble, 24, Alice Street, East Palestine, charged with no motorcycle endorsement and speeding.

Richard F. Hill, 77, Center Street, Leetonia, was fined $975 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 120 days suspended, leaving 60 days to serve in jail and 45 days of electronically monitored house arrest, for merged OVI charges and reasonable control. His driver’s license was suspended for three years.

Russell Hetrick, 55, Fairfield Avenue, Columbiana, was ordered to serve 20 days in jail for violating the terms of his probation for a 2025 OVI case.

Mark Wayne Wilson Jr., 25, Garfield Avenue, East Palestine, was fined $50 for unauthorized plate.

Britton K. Steiginga, 32, Walnut Grove Drive, New Waterford, was fined $450 for a stop sign violation, turn signal violation, invalid sticker and three counts driving under suspension

Arthur J. Gingher, 55, Bell Road, Lisbon, was fined $200 for driving under suspension.

Karl Lee Wyant, 38, Youngstown, was fined $100 for driving under suspension.

Brian D. Tinker, 43, North Jefferson Street, Lisbon, was fined $75 for a head light violation and stop sign violation.

Common Pleas

New Cases

George & Knox, Ltd., Homeworth Road, Homeworth vs. Quality Oil & Gas Corp., Parkside Drive, Alliance; declaratory judgment sought related to oil and gas lease.

Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC, Coral Gables, Fla., vs. Anna Engelhart, West Ninth Street, Salem, et al.; mortgage foreclosure sought for Columbiana County property.

Bonnie McKarns, Morgan Court, Salem, vs. Salem Regional Medical Center, East State Street, Salem, et al.; damages sought for medical malpractice and lack of informed consent claims related to alleged negligent medical treatment on Nov. 11, 2024.

Docket Entries

Westlake Services, LLC, doing business as Westlake Financial Services; $13,571 judgment granted to plaintiff.

Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC vs. Jaaron S. Noble, et al.; foreclosure judgment vacated, complaint dismissed.

Citizens Bank, NA vs. Kevin Cermak, et al.; case reinstated to active docket and dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Betty Dorris; payment plan stay lifted, case reinstated to active docket.

County Treasurer vs. Black Pearl Investments LLC, et al.; payment plan stay lifted, case reinstated to active docket.

County Treasurer vs. Angela C. Adkins, et al; payment plan stay lifted, case reinstated to active docket.

County Treasurer vs. Devon Reeder, now known as Backus; payment plan stay lifted, case reinstated to active docket.

County Treasurer vs. Riverview Acres, Inc.; payment plan stay lifted, case reinstated to active docket.

County Treasurer vs. Tina Marie Hancock; payment plan stay lifted, case reinstated to active docket.

County Treasurer vs. unknown heirs, etc. of Don E. Santee, et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure ordered for Lexington Avenue property.

County Treasurer vs. Truth for Life Word Ministries; delinquent property tax foreclosure ordered for Main Street, Wellsville property.

County Treasurer vs. Paul Mauch, et al.; delinquent property taxes paid, case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Rebecca Smith now known as Talbot, et al.; payment plan entered, case stayed.

County Treasurer vs. John Collier, et al.; payment plan stay lifted, case reinstated to active docket.

Marriage Licenses

Daniel E. Gryder Jr., 62, East Liverpool, electrical engineer, and Soni Lynn Potts, 58, East Liverpool, bank manager.

Terell A. Miller, 22, Sainte Genevieve, Mo., carpenter, and Lauren C. Neuenschwander, 21, Leetonia, homemaker.

Zachary S. Francis, 27, Salineville, foundry worker, and Rebecca I. Maynard-Francis, 27, Salineville, unemployed.

Tyler S. Beatty, 26, East Liverpool, retail, and Alexus A. Resanovich, 25, East Liverpool, retail.

Parker G. Hydrick, 25, Salem, finance manager, and Macey J. Austin, 25, Salem, content producer.

Owen J. Davis, 19, Hanoverton, United States Marine, and Sydney A. Billy, 18, Lisbon, unemployed.

Joseph W. Downard, 63, East Liverpool, retired, and Gail A. Angus, 62, Wellsville, retired.

David J. Walter, 62, Alliance, shop manager, and Debra J. Barnette, also known as Debra J. Doan, Alliance, STNA.

Alias C. Reno, 25, Salem, diesel mechanic, and Chelsea L. Moffett, 26, Salem, sale representative.