Court News

LISBON — An East Liverpool man accused of engaging in sexual activity with a 14-year-old child last year was sentenced to an indefinite term of four to six years in prison for second-degree felony sexual battery.

Robert M. Pressley, 37, Manor Lane, appeared for sentencing in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court. He received credit for 43 days already served in jail and was designated a Tier III sex offender who must register his information for the sex offender registration every 90 days for life once he gets out of prison.

A charge of third-degree felony unlawful sexual conduct with a minor was dismissed.

Pressley was accused of engaging in sexual activity with the child victim on June 29, 2025.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— Ronald L. Knight, 52, state Route 45, Wellsville, was placed under community control for three years for a lesser-included offense of domestic violence, a fourth-degree felony, originally a third-degree felony, with credit for two days served in jail. He was accused of striking a woman with an open hand several times and spitting on her face on Aug. 26, 2025 in Wellsville, with at least two or more past convictions for domestic violence on his record.

— Joshua C. Board, 36, Saline Street, Irondale, was sentenced to 12 months in prison and fined $5,000 after pleading guilty to aggravated possession of drugs, a third-degree felony, with credit for 15 days served in jail. A fifth-degree felony of aggravated possession of drugs was dismissed. Board possessed methamphetamine on May 12, 2024.

— Nicholas Lee Weyand, 37, Dewey Avenue, East Liverpool, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto the grounds of a specified governmental facility, a third-degree felony, and possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a fifth-degree felony. Weyand was accused of possessing fentanyl and trying to take drugs into a detention facility on May 27, 2024.

— Hayden M. Wright, 36, Railroad Street, East Liverpool, pleaded guilty to charges from three separate indictments, including a lesser offense of misdemeanor failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, third-degree felony having weapons while under disability and a specification for forfeiture of a weapon while under disability, and third-degree felony aggravated possession of drugs. Sentencing was set for July 10. Charges to be dismissed include tampering with evidence, resisting arrest and obstructing official business. Wright failed to comply during an incident Nov. 25, 2023, possessed methamphetamine in an amount equal or greater than bulk but less than five times bulk on July 9, 2024 and had a weapon Nov. 26, 2025 when prohibited from having one due to a previous felony drug conviction. Several guns were ordered forfeited.

— James D. Walsh, 27, Lacroft Avenue, East Liverpool, was placed under community control for three years after pleading guilty to aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, with credit for one day served. He possessed methamphetamine on Oct. 18, 2024.

— Nicholas L. Wolfe, 465, Failor Alley, East Palestine, was ordered to serve a term at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center until the program is successfully completed, then placed into drug court for up to five years after pleading guilty to aggravated possession of drugs, a third-degree felony. He also received a fine of $5,000 for possessing methamphetamine in an amount equal or greater than bulk but less than five times bulk on June 16, 2024.

Common Pleas

NEW CASES

Brian J. Spier, Dairy Lane, East Liverpool, vs. Kashmere D. Spier, North Market Street, Lisbon; divorce sought.

Martha Dray, Campbell Boulevard, Wellsville, vs. Donald Board, Campbell Boulevard, Wellsville; divorce sought.

County Treasurer, Lisbon, vs. William L. Catlett, Mattix Road, Lisbon, et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure sought for East Washington Street, Lisbon property.

Larissa D. Burgess, Georgetown Road, Salem, vs. Kevin T. Burgess, Stewart Road, Salem; divorce sought.

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Des Moines, Iowa, vs. Mark Miller, U.S. Route 30, Lisbon, et al.; mortgage foreclosure sought for Columbiana County property.

PennyMac Loan Services, LLC, Westlake Village, Calif. vs. Thomas J. Orlando, state Route 558, Leetonia, et al.; mortgage foreclosure sought for Columbiana County property.

DOCKET ENTRIES

Bank of America, N.A. vs. David C. Fusco, et al.; foreclosure order vacated, case dismissed.

Donnie L. Gillespie and Elizabeth R. Gillespie; dissolution granted.

Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC vs. Julie L. Carlisle; mortgage foreclosure ordered for Cleveland Street, Salem property.

Ohio Laser, Inc. vs. Gregg Simpson; defense motion for change of venue denied.

Bobbiejo McEwen-Worley and Stephen Worley; dissolution granted.

Ashlie Lynn Williams and Jesse Lee Williams; dissolution granted.

MARRIAGE LICENSES

Donald L. Porter, 77, Salem, retired, and Roberta Kay Unkefer, 65, East Rochester, retired.

Mathew J. Bellito, 36, Salem, network engineer, and Gretchen M. Thomas, 26, Salem, accountant.

Daniel P. Halas, 50, Columbiana, business owner, and Candace Ann Madden, 39, Columbiana, healthcare philanthropy.

Maxwell L.Brassfield, 40, New Waterford, construction, and Megan N. Erdel, 32, New Waterford, preschool teacher.

Municipal Court

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, a preliminary hearing was set May 27 for Lance M. Morris, 39, Hilltop Drive, Lisbon, charged with felonious assault, a second-degree felony, for allegedly beating a woman with a large mirror and frame and making her fear she was going to be killed on May 18 in Salem.

A preliminary/pretrial hearing was set June 8 for Thomas Richard Clark, 33, Lacroft Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with fourth-degree felony burglary and misdemeanors of menacing by stalking and criminal damaging for allegedly breaking into a woman’s home on May 16 in East Liverpool. He was intoxicated and was seen driving by her residence several times over several hours, an affidavit said. After he was there, he punched out the tail light of a vehicle.

A preliminary hearing was set May 26 for Shauntrice Krysale Carter, 32, Oakland Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with harassment by an inmate, a fifth-degree felony, for allegedly spitting at an East Liverpool police officer as she was being detained on May 16 in East Liverpool. She had fled on foot after being advised she was being pink-slipped for mental health reasons, meaning she was being taken to a hospital by force.

A preliminary hearing was set June 1 for Rosie J. Faulkner, 38, West Main Street, East Palestine, charged with third-degree felony tampering with evidence for allegedly trying to conceal an item from police during a traffic stop on April 13, 2025 in East Palestine when the driver handed her cash and a substance started dropping from the bills. A probable cause hearing was also set for June 1 for probation violations from 2023 cases of attempted, obstructing and resisting arrest and operating a vehicle impaired.

A pretrial was set May 27 for Daniel P. Rudibaugh, 36, West Ninth Street, Salem, charged with domestic violence for allegedly picking up a chair and threatening to strike a woman with it after an argument on May 15 in Salem.