Court News

LISBON — A Poland man involved in a sex-for-hire sting who possessed drugs in May 2024 in East Palestine was ordered to serve a term at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center in Wintersville until the program is successfully completed.

Joshua Hayat, 38, appeared for sentencing recently in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court for fifth-degree felonies of possession of a fentanyl-related compound and possession of cocaine, along with a misdemeanor charge of engaging in prostitution. Besides the term at the EOCC, he was also placed under community control for three years and received credit for two days served in jail.

Misdemeanor charges of possessing criminal tools, possession of drug abuse instrument and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia were dismissed.

Hayat was accused of responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranging for sexual activity with a female in exchange for currency and crack cocaine, traveling to East Palestine on May 7, 2024 for the meeting. Hayat allegedly possessed the phone used to make the arrangements, along with fentanyl, cocaine, a crack pipe and hypodermic syringes.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— Harry Baum IV, 38, Waldan Avenue, Wellsville, was sentenced to nine months in prison, with credit for 60 days already served, after pleading guilty to fifth-degree felony obstructing official business and misdemeanors of resisting arrest and domestic violence. The charges stemmed from him being involved in a domestic on March 30 in East Liverpool, where officers were called and could hear screaming coming from the apartment. When entry was attempted, he began telling officers to leave while making threats and refusing to open the door. He also pulled away from officers trying to handcuff him and refused to place his hands behind his back.

— Jasper Mountz, 41, state Route 45, Lisbon, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for violating the terms of his treatment plan for trespass in a habitation when a person is present or likely to be present, a fourth-degree felony, and misdemeanor illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia. His participation in drug court was dishonorably terminated. He also received credit for 180 days already served in jail. Mountz entered an attached garage in Salem without permission and possessed drug paraphernalia on March 4, 2024.

— Krista Faulkner, 48, Calcutta Smith Ferry Road, East Liverpool, was ordered to serve nine months in prison for violating the terms of her probation for third-degree felony illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto the grounds of a specified governmental facility, fifth-degree felony aggravated possession of drugs and misdemeanor possession of drugs. Her community control was dishonorably terminated and she received credit for 17 days already served in jail. Faulkner possessed methamphetamine and butalbital on Aug. 23, 2021.

— Christian Gillespie, 27, Austintown, was placed on a treatment plan for three years after pleading guilty to possessing criminal tools, a fifth-degree felony, which was issued via prosecutor’s information for his possession of criminal tools on Jan. 3, 2025.

— Shelly Swigert, 51, Ashton Road, East Liverpool, was ordered to serve up to six months at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center in Lisbon and placed under community control for three years after pleading guilty to fifth-degree felonies of possession of cocaine and possession of a fentanyl-related compound. Swigert possessed cocaine and fentanyl on Aug. 26, 2023.

— Mary Alt, 36, Youngstown, was placed under community control for fifth-degree felonies of possession of a fentanyl-related compound and possession of cocaine. Alt possessed fentanyl and cocaine on Jan. 14, 2024.

— Donald Tanner Jones, 34, Allison Park, Pa., was ordered to serve 60 days in the county jail and placed under community control for three years for a lesser offense of attempted importuning (originally third-degree felony compelling prostitution), fifth-degree felony possessing criminal tools and misdemeanor engaging in prostitution for responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website of an adult female and a minor juvenile, arranging for sexual conduct with both females in exchange for $160 and arriving in East Palestine on Jan. 15, 2024 for the meeting with the cell phone used to make the arrangements in his possession. He was designated a Tier I sex offender required to register his address with the sheriff’s office.

— Richard Simons, 25, North Beaver Street, Lisbon, was placed under community control for three years and ordered to serve a term at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center in Wintersville until the program is successfully completed for aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, for possessing methamphetamine on April 11, 2023.

— Frank Gardner, 30, Campground Road, Wellsville, was placed under community control for two years after pleading guilty to receiving stolen property, a fifth-degree felony, for having a stolen debit card on Dec. 25, 2023. He received credit for two days served in jail and was ordered to pay restitution of $160.

Municipal

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, cases against Adam J. Hileman, 44, Brackenridge, Pa., were bound over to the county grand jury for felonious assault, a first-degree felony, third-degree felony compelling prostitution, fourth-degree felonies of attempted and failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and misdemeanor engaging in prostitution. On Feb. 1, 2024 in East Palestine, Hileman allegedly responded to an undercover ad posted on a known prostitution website of an adult female and a 15-year-old female and arranged for sexual conduct with both females in exchange for money. When Hileman arrived in East Palestine for the meeting, he fled, purposely striking a police officer with his vehicle in an attempt to get away. He allegedly fled into Pennsylvania at speeds reaching 120 mph and was boxed in by Pennsylvania authorities, then engaged in a standoff with authorities until surrendering.

A case against Michael Harrington, 34, Chester Avenue, Wellsville, was bound over to the county grand jury for strangulation, a third-degree felony, for allegedly putting his hands around a woman’s throat and putting her in a choke hold on July 13 in Wellsville.

A preliminary/pretrial hearing was set July 24 for Britania Brown, 44, Haiti Road, Salineville, charged with fifth-degree felony breaking and entering and misdemeanor criminal trespass for allegedly trespassing on the Assembly of God property in Salineville on July 16, with video footage showing her making entry into an uninhabited building by jumping through a clothing shoot where items can be dropped off into the outbuilding. Church staff said there’s been an issue for two months and provided video of her previously being told not to return to the property.

A pretrial was set July 31 for Dennis Travers, 45, Aten Avenue Extension, Wellsville, charged with aggravated menacing for allegedly making multiple threats to kill two East Liverpool police officers on July 2 in East Liverpool

A pretrial was set Nov. 18 for Monica Hilton, 21, Akron, charged with soliciting for allegedly posting an ad on a known website used for the solicitation of prostitution and soliciting sexual conduct with an undercover agent posing as a purchaser of sex for $300, then driving to Salem on June 25 for the meeting.

Darrion M. Ollison, 34, Barberton, was sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 169 days suspended and credit for 11 days served for engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools. He was ordered to complete a prostitution prevention course. Ollison requested sexual conduct for an agreed upon price of $80 from an undercover agent, driving to Salem on July 10 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession. He was already a registered sex offender due to previous convictions.

Jeremiah J. Medley, 41, Hubbard, was sentenced to 60 days in jail for engaging in prostitution, possessing criminal tools and drug paraphernalia, with the term to be served at the same time as the prison term he’s serving until October 2026 for a failure to comply charge from Trumbull County. Medley responded to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranged for sexual activity with a female in exchange for $80, then arrived in East Palestine on Oct. 19, 2024 for the meeting. Charges of open container and driving under suspension were dismissed.

Brandyn M. Thomas, 52, Warren, was fined $400 and given a suspended 180-day jail term for two counts of possessing criminal tools, one amended from engaging in prostitution. He was ordered to complete a prostitution prevention course. Thomas was accused of requesting sexual conduct from an undercover agent for an agreed upon price of $140, then driving to Salem on May 6 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.

Ariana Jones, 29, state Route 558, Leetonia, was fined $200 and given a suspended 30-day jail term for disorderly conduct amended from domestic violence for assaulting a man, leaving a bite mark on his shoulder area on July 5 in Salem Township. She was ordered to complete 20 hours community service.

A pretrial was set July 31 for Mathew Campbell, 42, Youngstown, charged with obstructing official business, criminal trespass and operation with disregard for safety for allegedly threatening a bartender and the Foundry business July 21 in Salem, sending text messages that he was on his way to the business to cause problems. He was trespassed from the property, then police saw him turning into the parking lot and told him he was trespassed. He allegedly drove out of the parking lot and then came back into the parking lot. He also refused to give officers his identification.

Andrew Perillo, 36, West Middlesex, Pa., was fined $100 for receiving stolen property for pawning a stolen video game controller on April 11, 2016 in Columbiana.

A pretrial was set Nov. 17 for Mason Patchin, 22, North Lincoln Avenue, Salem, charged with permitting underage consumption for allegedly purchasing vodka for a juvenile on June 17 in Salem.

A pretrial was set July 31 for Donald Weyand, 57, Monaca Street, East Liverpool, charged with criminal damaging for allegedly forcing entry into a residence in East Liverpool on July 19. He was also fined $180 for no license and expired registration.

A pretrial was set Oct. 28 for James Lippiatt, 35, Washington Avenue, Salem, charged with illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing a small plastic bag with folds in his pocket commonly used with dangerous drugs on July 21 in Salem.

A pretrial was set Nov. 13 for Shawn Shirk, 43, Genesee, Pa., charged with obstructing official business, operating a vehicle impaired first offense, refuse to submit to test under law for commercial motor vehicle or commerical driver’s license, no seat belt and marked lanes for allegedly failing to exit the vehicle after being asked to multiple times during a traffic stop in Perry Township on July 19.

A pretrial was set Oct. 16 for Susan Joy, 19, East Lincoln Way, Lisbon, charged with underage consumption, operating a vehicle impaired first offense, OVI breath first offense, marked lanes and open container.

A pretrial was set Oct. 27 for Gary Lee Keister Jr., 61, Rochester Road, East Rochester, charged with OVI first offense, OVI breath first offense and driving under suspension.

A pretrial was set Nov. 17 for Olivia Marie Chafins, 21, Avery Circle, East Liverpool, charged with OVI second offense, OVI breath second offense and reasonable control.