Court News

LISBON — A Barberton man who recently had his motion to suppress evidence in a sex-for-hire case denied entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.

James Allen Smith Jr., 54, was ordered evaluated by the Forensic Psychiatric Center of Northeast Ohio for competency and sanity after Columbiana County Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Washam approved the defense request for a forensic evaluation.

Smith was indicted last year for third-degree felony compelling prostitution, fifth-degree felony possessing criminal tools and misdemeanor engaging in prostitution for allegedly responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website of an adult woman trafficking a minor female and arranging to have sexual activity with them for $220, traveling to East Palestine on Oct. 30, 2025 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— Richard H. Carter, 54, Bloomingdale, was placed under community control for five years and ordered to pay back all the money he stole after pleading guilty to three counts of grand theft, a fourth-degree felony, receiving credit for one day served in jail. He was ordered to pay restitution of $13,345 for stealing that amount from a man from May 20, 2022 through July 17, 2023, ordered to pay restitution of $18,774 for stealing that amount from a man and woman from June 20, 2022 through June 23, 2023 and was ordered to pay restitution of $ 20,365 for stealing that amount from a man and Bible Baptist Church from Oct. 28, 2022 through July 20, 2023.

— Erica L. Benitez, 25, Brilliant, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for fifth-degree felonies of possession of cocaine and possession of a fentanyl-related compound and third-degree felonies of aggravated possession of drugs and illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto the grounds of a specified governmental facility for possessing methamphetamine in an amount equal or greater than bulk but less than five times bulk, possessing cocaine and fentanyl and attempting to take drugs onto the grounds of a detention facility on Jan. 19, 2024. She received credit for 37 days served in jail.

— Michael Vasvari, 42, Hubbard, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a fourth-degree felony, and possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony, with specifications for forfeiture of money from a drug case. He received credit for 14 days served and was ordered to forfeit $161 he possessed on Aug. 26, 2023 when he was caught in possession of fentanyl and cocaine.

— Kimberly A. Beatty, 34, Ohio Avenue, East Liverpool, was placed under community control for three years and ordered to serve a term at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center until the program is successfully complete for possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony, for possessing cocaine on May 24, 2024. She received credit for 73 days served in jail.

— Schon S. Scott, 60, Canton, was sentenced to 90 days in jail, with credit for 15 days served, leaving a balance of 75 day still to serve for violating the terms of his probation for possession of cocaine for possessing cocaine on Dec. 1, 2024. His community control was dishonorably terminated.