Court News

LISBON — A Cleveland man accused of possessing child porn when he was caught in a sex for hire sting in Salem was sentenced recently in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court to six years in prison.

Anthony Davila, 47, was sentenced to 12-month terms each for a lesser offense of attempted compelling prostitution, attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and four counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor or impair person, all fourth-degree felonies.

The six terms were ordered served consecutively, bringing the total prison term to six years.

Davila was originally charged with third-degree felony compelling prostitution. Fifth-degree felonies of importuning and possessing criminal tools and six counts of fourth-degree felony pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person were dismissed.

He was designated a Tier II sex offender requiring him to register his address with the sheriff’s office every 180 days for 25 years.

Davila requested sexual conduct from a person he believed to be a 15-year-old female, but who was actually an undercover agent posing as a teen online, then drove to Salem on Jan. 27 for the meeting, with the phone he used to make the arrangements in his possession. The pandering charges all stem from Jan. 27.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— Christopher Slasor, 53, Moore Street, East Liverpool, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, a fourth-degree felony lesser included offense, with sentencing set for Jan. 10. He was originally charged with felonious assault, a second-degree felony, for allegedly getting into a verbal disagreement with a woman over a relationship and trying to run her over with the truck he was driving on May 5 in East Liverpool.

— Jerry Beadle, 60, Salineville Road, Salineville, was placed under community control for three years, but ordered to complete the program at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center in Wintersville after pleading guilty to aggravated possession of drugs, a third-degree felony, and possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. He received credit for 36 days served in jail. Beadle possessed methamphetamine in an amount equal or greater than bulk but less than five times bulk on May 18, 2022 and possessed methamphetamine on March 26, 2024.

— Lonnie Wilson, 36, Cleveland, was placed under community control for two years for nonsupport of dependents, a fifth-degree felony, with credit for two days served in jail. Wilson failed to pay child support for one child from Aug. 1, 2021 to July 30, 2023.

— Bryan Veglia Jr., 32, Duke Vodrey Road, East Liverpool, was placed under community control for two years for two counts of nonsupport of dependents, a fifth-degree felony, with credit for two days served in jail. Veglia failed to pay child support for two children from Sept. 27, 2020 to Sept. 25, 2022.

— Derrick Faulkner, 40, East Fourth Street, Salem, was ordered to spend 145 days in the county jail for violating his probation for possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. His probation was dishonorably terminated and he received credit for 27 days served, leaving a balance of 118 days to serve in jail. Faulkner possessed alprazolam on April 9, 2022.

— Brandon Phillips, 22, South Egypt Road, Salem, pleaded guilty to aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, with sentencing set for Dec. 2. Phillips possessed methamphetamine on Sept. 1, 2022.

— James Chadwick Bollinger, 34, West Martin Street, East Palestine, appeared for sentencing recently in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court for a fourth-degree felony charge of grand theft for allegedly presenting altered Holiday Inn invoices to Norfolk Southern totaling $12,451 and being reimbursed for that total on Sept. 19, 2023.

Bollinger was sentenced to the Eastern Ohio Correction Center in Wintersville until the program there is completed and placed under community control for three years.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— Tai Kotas, 44, Newell, W.Va., was sentenced to 10 months in prison for fourth-degree felony receiving stolen property and misdemeanor unauthorized use of a motor vehicle for driving a stolen 2019 Chevy belonging to Avis Budget Group on Jan. 28 in Perry Township without permission.

— Tyler Woolmaker, 20, Idaho Avenue, East Liverpool, was placed under community control for three years for aggravated assault, a fourth-degree felony lesser included offense. Woolmaker had been indicted for felonious assault, a second-degree felony, and misdemeanor assault for showing up at a Halloween party on Oct. 28, 2023 in East Liverpool and striking a woman in the head with a whiskey bottle. The misdemeanor assault charge was dismissed and he was given credit for five days already served in jail..

— Ashley Ross, 37, Robin Avenue, Salem, was ordered to jail for 60 days, with credit for 31 days served, leaving a balance of 29 days still to serve in jail for violating her probation for aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. Her probation was dishonorably terminated. Ross possessed the drug lisdexamfetamine on April 1, 2021.

— Stephanie Rae Brown, 48, East High Street, Salineville, was ordered to spend 120 days in the county jail for violating her probation for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor. She received credit for 16 days already served, leaving a balance still to serve in jail of 104 days. Brown used a 2005 Ford F-150 without the consent of the owner on June 2, 2021.

— Santee Baumgarner, 26, Chester W.Va., was placed under community control for three years for possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony, with credit for three days already served in jail. Baumgarner possessed cocaine on Feb. 21, 2023.

— Robert Pavalko, 45, Youngstown, was placed under community control and placed into the drug court program for up to five years after violating the terms of his treatment plan for aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, for possessing methamphetamine on April 6.

— Richard Stoddard, 44, Grove Alley, East Liverpool, was sentenced to six months in prison, with credit for 32 days served in jail, for aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, for possessing hydrocodone on May 6, 2022.

— Thomas Holman, 44, Hammond School Road, Wellsville, was placed under community control for three years for violating a protection order, a fifth-degree felony, with credit for 113 days served in jail. He was accused of being involved in a disturbance on Jan. 9 with a woman who has a protection order against him.

— Ryan Exline, 19, Hillcrest Road, Wellsville, was placed under community control for three years after pleading guilty to attempted failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer, a fourth-degree felony, and misdemeanor operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs for an incident on June 3 when he fled from police. His driver’s license was suspended for three years.

Grand Jury

LISBON — A Wellsville woman accused of allegedly devising a scheme and stealing money from two people over a weeklong period in 2023 was served Tuesday with a secret indictment issued by the Columbiana County Grand Jury.

Casey Carter, 32, 10th Street, Wellsville, was charged with theft from a person in a protected class and telecommunications fraud, both fifth-degree felonies, for allegedly depriving the victims of money from Jan. 17, 2023 to Jan. 23, 2023.

Also served with secret indictments were:

— Harry Wrightsman, 71, Sixth Street, Wellsville, possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony, for allegedly possessing cocaine on April 7.

— Alan Jakes, 43, Main Street, Wellsville, having weapons while under disability, a third-degree felony, for allegedly possessing a weapon on April 2, 2022 when he was prohibited from having a weapon due to a previous felony conviction.

Common Pleas

New Cases

James Simmons Jr., Canton, vs. American Tire Distributors Inc., Huntersville, N.C. and Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, Columbus; appeal of claim denial.

Docket Entries

Megan Dow vs. National Collegiate Student Loan Trust, et al.; default judgment vacated, case dismissed.

Samantha Jo Williams vs. Donald Eugene Williams; divorce granted.

County Treasurer vs. Scott Lafleme, et al.; payment plan entered, case stayed.

County Treasurer vs. David Bell, et al.; delinquent property taxes paid, case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. John Collier, et al.; TotalEnergies E&P USA, Inc. dismissed as defendant.