Municipal

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, cases against Donnie Mergenthaler, 26, Maryland Avenue, Salem, were bound over to the county grand jury for fifth-degree felony domestic violence and misdemeanor assault for allegedly pushing a pregnant woman multiple times threatening to hit her unless he got car keys, then striking another woman multiple times and slamming her to the ground when she tried to get between them on Aug. 10 in Perry Township.

Cases against Kevin Hupp, 29, Idaho Avenue, East Liverpool, were bound over to the county grand jury for fourth-degree felony strangulation and misdemeanor domestic violence for allegedly grabbing a woman by the throat and strangling her, striking her in the face and burning her with a cigarette on Aug. 10 in East Liverpool. A status conference hearing was also set for Oct. 2 for Hupp for charges of operating a vehicle impaired third offense, OVI third offense breath, speeding, left of center and driving under suspension. Second-degree felony charges of strangulation and domestic violence related to the Aug. 10 incident were dismissed

A case against Homer Carnes Jr., 46, state Route 154, Lisbon, was bound over to the county grand jury for domestic violence, a fourth-degree felony, for allegedly assaulting a juvenile by grabbing him by the neck while holding him against a trailer, striking him in the head and throwing him to the ground on July 10 in Lisbon.

A preliminary hearing was set Aug. 25 for Christopher Dennis Harrison, 41, Austintown, charged with promote prostitution, a fourth-degree felony, for allegedly transporting two people to East Palestine on July 27 so one of the people could engage in sex for hire.

A preliminary hearing was set Aug. 28 for Glen Guthrie Jr., 56, state Route 45, Lisbon, charged with receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony, for allegedly bringing a stolen wood chipper to auction at the Rogers Community Auction in Rogers on April 11. The sale was refused due to the identification plate being missing. The wood chipper had been reported stolen in Canton on April 5.

A pretrial was set Nov. 17 for Carl Cranston, 45, McCracken Road, Salem, charged with aggravated menacing for allegedly walking into the Foundry in Salem with a knife out and walking towards another man, who then was able to knock the knife out of Cranston’s hand and push him to the ground on Aug. 16.

A sentencing hearing was set Aug. 25 for Crystal Olsen, 50, Butler Grange Road, Salem, who pleaded no contest and was found guilty of aggravated menacing and domestic violence for threatening to cut a man with scissors and assault him on Aug. 16 in Butler Township. She was also fined $100 for driving while texting, with the fine to be suspended if the educational course is completed.

A pretrial was set Aug. 25 for Douglas Freed, 45, Hadley Road, East Palestine, charged with obstructing official business and three counts of aggravated menacing for allegedly threatening to kill all the household members at a Fairfield Township residence and burn the house down on Aug. 18, calling the family with threats. He also waved a machete at a man when leaving his home on Hadley Road, East Palestine and started calling him and making threats of shooting him and bashing his skull in, an affidavit said. When deputies arrived at his home to take him into custody, Freed allegedly refused to leave the home and sent children out the front door and said he wouldn’t be coming out. After making several announcements over the PA system of the patrol vehicle, deputies took him into custody.

A pretrial was set Nov. 6 for Damondtreas Hubbert, 24, Niles, charged with violation of a protection order for allegedly approaching a woman in Rogers on Aug. 15 and yelling obscenities towards her, making her feel like she was going to get hit. There’s an active protection order in place in Mahoning County against Hubbert.

A pretrial was set Nov. 20 for David Gene Miller, 52, Hiram, charged with engaging in prostitution, possessing criminal tools, drug paraphernalia and open container for allegedly responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranging for sexual activity with a female in exchange for money, driving to East Palestine on Aug. 15 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession, along with drug paraphernalia, suspected cocaine and open containers of alcohol.

A pretrial was set Nov. 13 for Daniel J. Kral, 37, Warren, charged with engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools for allegedly responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranging for sexual activity with a female in exchange for $80, then arriving in East Palestine on Aug. 16 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.

A pretrial was set Nov. 18 for Matthew William Brown, 43, Colliers, W.Va., charged with engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools for allegedly responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranging for sexual activity with a female in exchange for $260, then arriving in East Palestine on Aug. 16 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.

William Walter Verosky, 30, Monaca, Pa., was fined $750 and given a suspended 90-day jail term for engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools. He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service and an education course. Verosky responded to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranged for sexual activity with a female in exchange for $140, then drove to East Palestine on Feb. 20 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.

Paul Mason Smith, 31, Beaver Falls, Pa., was fined $500 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 170 days suspended and credit for five days served, leaving a balanced remaining of five days still to serve for two counts of endangering children and one count of obstructing official business amended from obstructing justice. He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service and a parenting class. Smith was accused of allowing two juveniles to exit the home naked and play in the road without his knowledge in East Palestine on May 19 and also failing to come to the police station when he was told to report and then hiding in the attic when police came to his home to take him into custody.

Ariel Durham, 36, Duck Creek Road, Salem, was fined $300 and sentenced to 11 days in jail, with credit for 11 days served, for criminal trespass, disorderly conduct and public urination. Durham trespassed at Roselynn Commons Apartments in Lisbon on March 5 after being prohibited from being on the property. On Jan. 28 in Lisbon on East Lincoln Way she was refusing to identify herself and get up when told to leave a residence. She was accused of urinating in public in Salem on June 30.

Sidni Rae Livolsi, 36, Clark Avenue, Wellsville, was fined $200 and sentenced to 10 days in jail, with credit for 10 days served, for obstructing official business for using her weight to fall to the ground on two occasions while being taken into custody by a police officer, the second time causing the officer to fall to a knee with her after she was medically cleared at East Liverpool City Hospital on July 7.

Nicholas Desimone, 19, Alpha Street, East Liverpool, was fined $550 and sentenced to 11 days in jail, with credit for 11 days served, for disorderly conduct-presence of emergency facility person, obstructing official business and drug paraphernalia amended from possession of drug abuse instrument. He was accused of giving a false name to police investigating a report of a suspicious person in East Liverpool on Aug. 2 and possessing a burnt glass pipe known to be used for smoking narcotics. He was also accused of causing a disturbance in the emergency room at East Liverpool City Hospital on March 27.

Nathan Brendlinger, 19, West Eighth Street, Salem, was fined $200 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 89 days suspended and credit for one day served, for theft. He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service and to have no contact with Speedway in Salem. Brendlinger was accused of entering Speedway in Salem on Aug. 4, placing several items in his backpack and leaving without paying.

A pretrial was set Sept. 30 for Sherri Salisburry, 61, Grant Street, Lisbon, charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly tapping on another woman’s window repeatedly despite being told to stop peering through and tapping on her window on Aug. 16 in Center Township. The affidavit also said she was allegedly harassing and threatening the victim.

Katie Smith, 19 South Lundy Avenue, Salem, was fined $925 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 87 days suspended and credit for three days served in a driver intervention program, for physical control amended from operating a vehicle impaired and speeding. Another OVI charge was dismissed. Her driver’s license was suspended for one year, with driving privileges granted.

Lexi Buckner, 19, McDonald, was fined $50 for expired registration. A charge of driving under suspension was dismissed.

Karly Golden, 22, Wyoming Avenue, East Liverpool, was fined $50 for no license.

William Weyand Jr., 30, Woodland Avenue, Salem, was fined $100 for driving under suspension.

John Daniel Miller, 20, Georgetown Road, Homeworth, was fined $150 for improper passing.

Common Pleas

New Cases

County Treasurer, Lisbon, vs. unknown heirs, etc. of Jane Jarvis, Orchard Street, East Liverpool; delinquent property tax foreclosure sought for Orchard Street, East Liverpool property.

County Treasurer, Lisbon, vs. unknown heirs, etc. of Linda Merino, Liberty Street, Salem, et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure sought for Grant Street, Salem property.

County Treasurer, Lisbon, vs. unknown heirs, etc. of Georgia Gibson, Melbourne Avenue, East Liverpool; delinquent property tax foreclosure sought for Melbourne Avenue, East Liverpool property.

County Treasurer, Lisbon, vs. Elio Lerussi Jr., Sprucevale Road, East Liverpool, et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure sought for Ninth Avenue, East Liverpool property.

SRS Distribution, Inc., doing business as Willoughby Supply, Columbus, vs. JB Foaming LLC and JB Commercial Roofing LLC, both Knox School Road, Minerva, et al.; collection sought of alleged $24,040 debt.

Docket Entries

Westlake Services LLC v.s Jonathan Fish; $15,948 judgment granted to plaintiff.

American Express National Bank vs. William Watson; case dismissed.

Marriage Licenses

Mark McCartney, 55, Salem, truck driver, and Tina Murphy, 46, Salem, CNA.

Todd Gamble, 60, East Palestine, diesel mechanic, and Kandy Biser, 54, East Palestine, unemployed.

Jonathan Meek, 23, East Palestine, aircraft maintenance, and Morgan Simmons, 26, East Liverpool, front desk.

Dylan Mathes, 27, Lisbon, Walmart team lead, and Cheyenne Peterson, 24, Lisbon, Walmart team lead.

Corey Lavery, 31, Salem, welder, and Angelina Smith, 22, Salem, insurance specialist.

Trevor Adair, 35, Columbiana, registered nurse, and Kaitlin Spitak, 33, Niles, licensed professional counselor.

Keith Holcomb, 41, Minerva, assistant furnace operator, and Cassandra Jacobsen, 39, Minerva, fast food manager.

Brandon Flugan, 25, East Palestine, saw operator, and Michelle Claycomb, 24, East Palestine, packing coordinator.

Shawn Naughton, 54, Leetonia, plumber, and Paige Kerr, 32, Leetonia, garden center manager.

Logan McCoy, 24, New Waterford, mechanic, and Mickalia Ayers, 25, New Waterford, LPN.

Matt Wilson, 33, East Liverpool, senior procurement consultant, and Taylor Kilbert, 29, East Liverpool, dental hygienist.

Gregg Stowers, 57, East Liverpool, self employed, and Milissa Ann Davis, now known as Milissa Ann Petrella, 56, Newell, W.Va., self employed.

Jonathan Nolan, 27, East Liverpool, production operator, and Aimee Pridemore, 25, East Liverpool, front desk.

Michael Pinkerton, 29, Salem, unemployed, and Madison Fast, 21, Salem, unemployed.

Michael Howard, 35, Hanoverton, machinist, and Nicole Schwartz, 42, Hanoverton, RN.

Bill Peters III, 41, Beloit, fabrication, and Stephanie Davis, 41, Beloit, bookkeeper.

Dakota Cutright, 29, Lisbon, registered nurse, and Marina Myers, 31, Lisbon, registered nurse.

Joseph Scarabino Jr., 25, Wattsburg, Pa., laborers’ union, and Maria Abdalla, 27, Wellsville, registered nurse.

Cory Miles, 41, East Liverpool, DSP, and Cheyenne Lamp, 30, East Liverpool, DSP.

Derek Ross, 33, East Palestine, construction, and Hannah Kohler, 28, East Palestine, X-ray technician.

William Blackburn, 24, Salem, carpenter/laborer, and Autumn Little, 23, Salem, radiographer.

Jeremy Barton, 26, Wellsville, service technician, and Katelyn Boram, 21, Wellsville, unemployed.

Jason Dickey, 32, Lisbon, safety director-Hilltop Energy Inc., and Cierra Anderson, 32, Lisbon, massage therapist.

Michael Abosede, 29, Burgettstown, Pa., structural engineer, and Haven DeLong, 28, Wellsville, tattoo artist.

Joshua Rupert, 36, Columbiana, banker, and Shawn Sager, 41, Aliquippa, Pa., project director.

Charles King, 34, East Rochester, maintenance technician, and Megan Pitts, 28, East Rochester, quality control.

Joseph Haynes, 61, Wellsville, flooring installer, and Marcy Thompson, 61, Wellsville, school treasurer.

Michael Atkinson, 23, Washingtonville, dispursement coordinator, and Isabelle Mahon, 23, Washingtonville, quality assurance clerk.

Nicholas West, 30, Hanoverton, millwright, and Tayler Gardner, 29, Hanoverton, LPN.

Michael Caroline, 33, Lisbon, iron worker, and Kelli Hostetler, 27, Lisbon, production team lead.

Dean Wisinski, 33, Imperial, Pa., sales rep, and Shayna Mirabella, 26, Imperial, Pa., nurse.

Dylan Huff, 24, Salem, handyman, and Sierra Zarnosky, 24, Salem, registered nurse.

Court News

LISBON — A Hanoverton man who struck a deputy in the face earlier this year must serve some prison time after appearing for sentencing in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court.

Thomas Pitts, 42, Foundry Hill Road, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for fourth-degree felony assault, fifth-degree felony obstruction of justice, fifth-degree felony aggravated possession of drugs and misdemeanor resisting arrest. He received credit for 85 days served in jail. Pitts was accused of attempting to flee after being taken into custody for a warrant, refusing to listen to commands and striking a deputy in the face with his elbow while resisting on May 22 in Hanover Township. The drug charge stemmed from his possession of methamphetamine on June 2, 2024.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— Lekeith Brooks, 39, Youngstown, was sentenced to nine months in prison and given a mandatory fine of $5,000 for possession of cocaine, a third-degree felony, with credit for 85 days served. Brooks possessed cocaine in an amount equal or greater than 10 grams but less than 20 grams on Oct. 25, 2022.

— Daniel Scott Jr., 43, Warren, pleaded guilty to a lesser offense of fourth-degree felony domestic violence, with sentencing set for today. A fourth-degree felony strangulation charge will be dismissed. The domestic violence was originally a third-degree felony. Scott was accused of grabbing a woman by her neck, squeezing and attempting to pick her up from the couch by her neck during an argument on March 14 in Lisbon. He had two previous domestic violence convictions on his record.

— John Anderson, 61, Sharpsville, Pa., was placed under community control for three years and ordered to pay restitution of $9,035 for grand theft, a fourth-degree felony, for stealing $9,035 from Busy Beaver Building Center in Columbiana County from Oct. 25, 2023 to Nov. 8, 2023.

— Lonnie Wilson, 37, Cleveland, was ordered to serve a term at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center until the program is complete for violating the terms of his probatin for nonsupport of dependents, a fifth-degree felony. His community control was dishonorably terminated. Wilson failed to pay for child support for one child from Aug. 1, 2021 to July 30, 2023.

— David Young, 48, Bloomfield Road, East Liverpool, was placed on a treatment plan for three years after pleading guilty to aggravated possession of drugs and possession of a fentanyl-related compound, both fifth-degree felonies. He also must serve a term at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center until the program is complete. Young possessed methamphetamine and fentanyl on Oct. 7, 2022.

Grand Jury

LISBON — Timothy Halfhill, 52, Rankin Street, East Liverpool, was served Sunday with a secret indictment issued by the Columbiana County Grand Jury for possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony, for allegedly possessing cocaine on June 5, 2024.