THE COURTS

Common Pleas

New Cases

Capital One, NA, Columbus vs Cynthia L. Feezle, Bowman Road, Homeworth; collection sought of alleged $16,800 debt.

U.S. Bank Trust National Association, Dallas, Texas, vs. unknown heirs, etc of estate of Franklin R. Pigott, deceased, et al.; mortgage foreclosure sought for Columbiana County property.

Docket Entries

Velocity Investments, LLC vs. Benji Perry; $17,430 judgment granted to plaintiff.

Grand Jury

LISBON — A Lisbon man accused of allegedly threatening to kill a woman, choking her and punching her this fall was one of 22 defendants openly indicted by the Columbiana County Grand Jury on Wednesday.

Frederick E. Kruger, 35, Shelby Road, Lisbon, was charged with felonious assault, a second-degree felony, third-degree felony strangulation and misdemeanors of aggravated menacing and two counts of domestic violence for an incident that occurred Oct. 4 in Center Township.

Kruger was accused of threatening to kill a woman and putting both hands around her neck and choking her and putting his fingers in her mouth as she gasped for air. He also was accused of punching her multiple times in the face. He was found laying on his belly in a wooded area of the property trying to hide from deputies. The victim was transported to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Youngstown by Hanover Township EMS due to her injuries.

The grand jury met for two days and examined 52 witnesses covering 50 cases, issuing 22 open indictments and 28 secret indictments for cases to be tried in Common Pleas Court. Secret indictments aren’t made public until the defendants are served with the paperwork.

One case has been transferred back to county Municipal Court. Caitlin Marie Dunn, 27, Ambrose Avenue, East Liverpool, had originally been charged with third-degree felony obstructing justice when her case was bound over, but the grand jury issued a charge of misdemeanor falsification against her for allegedly telling police a man wanted on felony warrants was not inside her apartment when he was actually inside on Oct. 11 in East Liverpool. 

Other open indictments issued included:

— Daniel James Monte, 50, Independence Square, Wellsville, felonious assault, a second-degree felony, for allegedly acting as if he was going to strike another man and then stomping on his face during a fight in Wellsville on Oct. 14.

— Leland Xavier Monte, 19, Independence Square, Wellsville, felonious assault, a second-degree felony, for allegedly taking another man to the ground and striking him multiple times in the face after a fight in Wellsville on Oct. 14.

— Ayden Elijah Keith Moore, 19, Franklin Street, Salem, first-degree felony aggravated burglary and misdemeanors of domestic violence and telecommunications harassment for allegedly entering a residence in Salem uninvited and slapping a woman multiple times across the face, wrapping his hands around her neck and shoving her to the ground on Oct. 25. He would not stop contacting the victim and kept texting her after she asked him to stop.

— Philip M. Kelly, 38, North Broadway Avenue, Salem, second-degree felony burglary, fourth-degree felony trespass in a habitation when a person is present or likely to be present and misdemeanors of  obstructing official business and resisting arrest for allegedly breaking into a home on North Lincoln Avenue, Salem on Nov. 3, breaking the front door window, reaching inside to unlock the door and continuing through the entryway and kitchen. After being confronted by the homeowner, he fled southbound on North Lincoln Avenue and was seen by police walking on Superior Avenue. Officers attempted contact and told him to stop multiple times, but a small foot chase took place and he was taken into custody.

— Arthur Niles Sherin, 48, Wilbert Avenue, East Liverpool, second-degree felony burglary, fifth-degree felony theft and misdemeanor criminal trespass for allegedly trespassing in a woman’s apartment in East Liverpool and stealing her phone and financial cards while she was checking her mail and her juvenile daughter was there on Aug 23. 

— Corneil L. Haskins, 25, Youngstown, burglary, a second-degree felony, and misdemeanor obstructing official business for allegedly being inside a Fairfield Township property on Crestview Road and fleeing when deputies arrived on Sept. 26. The affidavit said he only stopped after a successful K-9 apprehension. He and another person were seen inside the property by the victim via house cameras.

— Randy James Reynolds, 25, Prospect Street, East Liverpool, fourth-degree felonies of strangulation and domestic violence for allegedly tackling a woman to the ground and strangling her on Nov. 5 in East Liverpool.

— Brandon Allen Green, 33, Lisbon Street, East Liverpool, fourth-degree felony receiving stolen property and misdemeanors of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, a drug of abuse or a combination of them-OVI and driving under suspension for allegedly being in possession of a stolen vehicle after crashing it on state Route 154, Elkrun Township on Aug 24.

— Brian D. Tinker, 43, North Jefferson Street, Lisbon, fourth-degree felony failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, fourth-degree felony failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer and misdemeanor obstructing official business. He was accused of allegedly running a stop sign at East Pine and North Jefferson in Lisbon, then fleeing when police attempted a traffic stop, crashing into a house on Jefferson and fleeing from officers on foot on Nov. 3. He was ordered to stop running and refused, then stopped at the cemetery and was taken into custody.

— Mark N. Hayes, 59, Phoenix, Ariz., fourth-degree felony assault and misdemeanors of obstructing official business and disorderly conduct for pushing Leetonia Police Chief Allen Haueter off his truck cab and onto the street, causing him to fall on his back during an incident on Industry Road, Leetonia on Oct. 23. Hayes had been told to move his semi truck, which was deemed a road hazard, and he became belligerent and was refusing to leave the truck, ignoring several warnings to desist his actions. He complied after another officer told him he would be tased.

— Robert R. Zewe Jr., 50, Erie, Pa., third-degree felony compelling prostitution, fifth-degree felony possessing criminal tools and misdemeanor engaging in prostitution for allegedly responding to an undercover familial ad on a known prostitution website of an adult mother trafficking her 16-year-old daughter and arranging for sexual activity with both mother and daughter in exchange for money, arriving in East Palestine on Oct. 10 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.

–Paskal Nkumba, 26, Windsor Mill, Md., third-degree felony tampering with evidence and misdemeanors of engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools for allegedly responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranging to have sexual activity with a woman for $140, traveling to East Palestine on Oct. 3 for the meeting. While being removed from his box truck, he allegedly deleted the message thread between himself and an agent with the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force from his cell phone that was used to make the arrangements.

— Wilbert E. Faulk, 66, Minerva Street, East Liverpool, two counts of violation of a protection order, both fifth-degree felonies, for allegedly showing up at the apartment of two protected persons in East Liverpool on Sept. 8, in violation of a protection order.

— Christopher D. Craft, 32, Wilbert Avenue, East Liverpool, domestic violence, a fourth-degree felony, for allegedly grabbing a woman by the hair and dragging her back into an apartment during a domestic in East Liverpool on Oct. 21.

— James Allen Smith, 53, Brunswick, third-degree felony compelling prostitution, fifth-degree felony possessing criminal tools and misdemeanor engaging in prostitution for allegedly responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website of an adult woman trafficking a minor female and arranging to have sexual activity with them for $220, traveling to East Palestine on Oct. 30 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.

— John D. Lanam, 45, Anderson Boulevard, East Liverpool, third-degree felonies of tampering with evidence and having weapons while under disability, fourth-degree felony strangulation and misdemeanor domestic violence for allegedly striking a woman with a closed fist, throwing her down ad using his forearm to place around her throat to choke her after an argument on Oct. 10 in Liverpool Township. The victim also alleged that after the assault, he grabbed a rifle, but never pointed it at her. He was prohibited from having a firearm due to previous convictions. 

— Maleek Marques Williams, 18, Erie, Pa., fourth-degree felony improper handling of firearm in a motor vehicle and misdemeanor complicity to in the commission of an offense for allegedly accompanying two women who arranged for a sex-for-hire meeting and having a loaded handgun in his pants pocket on Oct. 10 in East Palestine.

— Douglas C. Toothman, 47, East Fourth Street, East Liverpool, fourth-degree felony domestic violence for allegedly hitting a woman in her face and head area several times in East Liverpool on Oct. 18. The  affidavit said the victim was pregnant.

— Julius J. Vajda, 58, state Route 45, Lisbon, fourth-degree felony failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer and two counts of misdemeanor operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, a drug of abuse or a combination of them-OVI. Vajda allegedly fled from police attempting a traffic stop in Lisbon on Oct. 25.

— Donald W. Lewis, 46, Canal Street, East Rochester, second-degree felony failure to provide notice of change of address for allegedly failing to report moving on Sept. 21 as required for the sex offender registration.

Municipal

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, a pretrial was set Dec. 29 for Fransisco Yacuta-Santana, 37, Deming Street, Salem, charged with assault for allegedly assaulting his roommate by grabbing him by the neck and throwing him to the ground on Sept. 9 on Deming Street in Salem. When police first took him into custody, he was known as John Doe because he gave officers multiple names and two dates of birth.

Sterling A. Henry, 27, Youngstown, was fined $200 and sentenced to 60 days in jail, with credit for 28 days served, leaving a balance of 32 days still to serve in jail for obstructing official business. He was accused of attempting to flee from Common Pleas Court on the second floor of the downtown courthouse on Nov. 14 before his bond revocation hearing. He was taken into custody on the first floor after a short foot chase down two flights of stairs. He was taken back into the courtroom where his bond was revoked and he was taken to the jail. He was found with a sum of money and suspected narcotics in a cellophane wrapper in his wallet, the affidavit said.

Stephen William Jones, 36, Youngstown, was fined $600 and given a suspended 90-day jail term for violation of a protection order and criminal damaging. He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service and to have no contact with the victims. Jones was accused of throwing something at another man’s vehicle, attempting to open the car door and hitting the window with his fist on Nov. 13 in East Palestine, leaving dents in the vehicle and scrapes. On Nov. 27 in East Palestine, he reached out to a protected person who has a protection order against him and had two of his relatives try to contact her.

Andrew J. Welsh, 37, East Fourth Street, Salem, and Jessica R. Mitchell, 35, East Fourth Street, Salem, were each fined $500 and given a suspended 90-day jail term, but ordered to serve 30 days electronically-monitored house arrest for cruelty to animals. They were both ordered to complete 40 hours community service and not to own or possess companion animals. Welsh and Mitchell were accused of leaving a dog in a vehicle, stuck behind a TV unable to move, with piles of fecal matter and insects flying around and no means of sufficient food or water observed on Sept. 8 in Salem. The dog was apparently placed in the vehicle while they went to work.

A pretrial was set Dec. 22 for Timothy Allen Gault, 18, McKinnon Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with aggravated menacing for allegedly making threats while holding a bat and yelling in Liverpool Township on Dec. 9

A pretrial was set Dec. 16 for Dakota Scott Wertz, 25, Newell, W.Va., charged with menacing for allegedly threatening to kill a woman while sending her an excessive amount of text messages on Nov. 26 in East Liverpool.

Mohamed Abdiwahab Abdirahman, 29, Columbus, was fined $750 and given a suspended 90-day jail term for engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools for requesting sexual conduct from an undercover agent for an agreed upon price of $140, then driving to Salem on Aug. 21 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession. He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service and a prostitution prevention course.

A pretrial was set Dec. 22 for Tricia A. Watson, 42, Jones Drive, Salem, charged with theft, failure to vacate dwelling, obstructing official business and disorderly conduct. On Dec. 9 at Walgreens in Salem, she allegedly opened several packages of merchandise and left without rendering payment, leaving the opened merchandise in the store, making it unable to be resold. On Sept. 1, 2022, she allegedly failed to vacate a property on Olive Street, Salem which had been declared unfit for human habitation. On Dec. 28, 2024, she allegedly walked in the road in the 1700 block of Depot Road in Perry Township and continued walking in the road as a police officer attempted to talk with her, then took off running and was tazed.

Pamela S. Risbeck, 50, Trinity Church Road, Lisbon, was fined $200 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 170 days suspended and credit for two days served, leaving a balance of eight days still to serve for theft. She was ordered to complete 25 hours community service, make restitution of $60.70 to Dollar General in Hanoverton and to stay out of the Dollar General store in Hanoverton. She failed to scan and pay for 10 items totaling $57 at a self checkout register at the Dollar General store in Hanoverton.

A pretrial was set March 11 for Tiffany Nicole Love, 38, Creek Road, New Waterford, charged with theft for allegedly stealing $250 worth of items from the Dollar General in New Waterford while she was working, hiding from the cameras to steal items from her place of work on Nov. 17.

A pretrial was set Jan. 7 for Ashley Anderson, 33, Depot Road, Lisbon, charged with theft for allegedly stealing $150 worth of items from her place of work at the Dollar General in New Waterford on Nov. 17.

A pretrial was set March 11 for Jennifer C. Brown, 68, Pearce Circle, Salem, charged with criminal trespass for allegedly trespassing on Nov. 26 at a property on South Lundy Avenue, Salem where she had previously been trespassed from in October. The affidavit said she was seen on video stepping onto the property and grabbing three safety cones and moving them elsewhere.

A pretrial was set Feb. 25 for Jeffrey J. Johnson, 56, Georgetown, Pa., charged with criminal trespass for allegedly being inside Wood Forest Bank inside the Calcutta Walmart on March 13 after being trespassed from the Walmart store  for allegedly harassing female employees.

Lindsey R. Willard, 37, West Fifth Street, Salem, was fined $200 for criminal trespass for trespassing Sept. 3 in a Salem property that was supposed to be vacated.

Sheryl A. Helman, 74, Oak Street, Salem, was fined $150 for disorderly conduct amended from criminal damaging for striking a neighbor’s garage with her riding mower on June 16.

A pretrial was set Feb. 17 for Brandon M. Muschweck and Ladonna R. Muschweck, no ages listed, both East Sixth Street, East Liverpool, each charged with two counts of failure to file city income tax for allegedly failing to file city income tax returns in East Liverpool in 2024 and 2025.

Aleasha McKee, 37, Dunn Road, East Liverpool, was fined $1,065 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 87 days suspended and credit for three days served in a driver intervention program, for operating a vehicle impaired. Another OVI charge was dismissed. Her driver’s license was suspended for one year, with driving privileges granted, and she was ordered to complete 20 hours community service.

Sarah Anne Clawson, 38, Youngstown, was fined $500 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 OVI. Another OVI charge was dismissed. Her driver’s license was suspended for one year and she was ordered to complete 20 hours community service.

Dylan Wesley Metzgar, 25, West Third Street, Salem, was fined $500 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 OVI. Another OVI charge was dismissed. His driver’s license was suspended for 180 days and he was ordered to complete 20 hours community service.

A motion hearing was set Feb. 4 for Nichole M. White, 52, East Pidgeon Road, Salem, charged with OVI first offense and a tail lights violation.

A pretrial was set March 11 for Salvatore James Vecchio Jr., 61, Ravenna, charged with OVI first offense, driving under suspension and left of center.

A pretrial was set March 11 for Daniel Russell Adams, 29, Steubenville, charged with OVI first offense and left of center.

A pretrial was set Feb. 4 for Jamie Christine Bowen, 49, Hickman Road, East Liverpool, charged with speeding.

Brian C. Ketchum, 62, Ruth Street, East Liverpool, was fined $150 for reckless operation amended from OVI first offense.

Nathan T. Bradford, 27, Beaver Falls, Pa., was fined $75 for a stop sign violation.

Angel Antonio Serrano, 37, West Park Road, Columbiana, was fined $50 for speeding.

Lester Russell, 44, Saline Street, Irondale, was fined $100 for unauthorized plate, with a charge of no license dismissed.