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LISBON -- A man accused of failing to report an overdose death at his East Liverpool residence for several days was served recently with a secret indictment for two charges, including gross abuse of a corpse.
Christopher Hightower, 41, West Seventh Street, East Liverpool, was charged by the Columbiana County Grand Jury with the fifth-degree felony of gross abuse of a corpse and misdemeanor failure to report knowledge of a death.
According to county Prosecutor Vito Abruzzino, the deceased was Jessica Chapman, whose family contacted East Liverpool Police after having difficulty locating her. Her vehicle was found outside Hightower's residence on Sept. 5 and that's when police made contact with him. She was found in a bedroom deceased and had reportedly died several days before that, Abruzzino said.
Also served recently with secret indictments were:
-- Alex Conkle, 29, North Pleasant Drive, East Palestine, third-degree felonies of failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and having weapons under disability and fifth-degree felony aggravated possession of drugs with a specification for forfeiture of money from a drug case for allegedly possessing methamphetamine and $344 and fleeing from law enforcement during an incident March 25, 2023. He also allegedly possessed a weapon, which he was prohibited from possessing.
-- Linda Dapollonia, 43, Chester, W.Va., aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, for allegedly possessing methamphetamine on May 14, 2022.
-- Megan McDonald, 35, New Cumberland, W.Va., fifth-degree felonies of aggravated possession of drugs, possession of fentanyl-related compound and possession of cocaine for allegedly possessing methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine on Aug. 2, 2021.
-- Lena Craig, 27, New Cumberland, W.Va., third-degree felony aggravated possession of drugs with a specification for forfeiture of money in a drug case for allegedly possessing $762 and an amount of methamphetamine equal or greater than bulk, but less than five times bulk on April 7, 2021.
-- Scott Kreps, 53, Warren, nonsupport of dependents, a fifth-degree felony, for allegedly failing to pay child support for a child from July 4, 2021 to July 2, 2023.
-- Brandon Hacker, 31, Jimtown Road, East Palestine, aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, for possessing methamphetamine on May 13, 2023.