Municipal

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, a preliminary/pretrial hearing was set Feb. 2 for Ethan Mickel Hill, 22, state Route 154, Lisbon, charged with fifth-degree felony strangulation, fourth-degree felony domestic violence and misdemeanor endangering children. Hill allegedly struck a woman in the face numerous times, picked her up off the ground by her throat and pushed her while she had a child in her arms on Jan. 27 in East Palestine. She also said she was pregnant and that he backhanded her several days previous to this incident.

A preliminary/pretrial hearing was set Feb. 2 for Joshua R. Greene, 41, Franklin Avenue, Salem, charged with third-degree felony strangulation and misdemeanor domestic violence for allegedly grabbing a woman by the neck pulling her back into his apartment in Salem, causing a risk of physical harm and visible marks on her neck on Jan. 26.

A pretrial was set Feb. 4 for Jeffery Robert Pedersen, 37, Grant Street, East Liverpool, charged with domestic violence for allegedly grabbing a woman by the neck and then shoving her, causing her to fall to the ground, then restraining her by sitting on her on Jan. 25 in East Liverpool.

A domestic violence charge against Natosha A. Miller, 32, Putnam Street, East Liverpool, was dismissed due to the victim’s whereabouts being unknown, a notation on the judgment entry said. Miller was accused of allegedly hitting a man in the face after an incident on Oct. 12, 2025 in Wellsville.

A pretrial was set April 8 for Nikolaos Trikilis, 22, Campbell, charged with possessing criminal tools and engaging in prostitution for allegedly responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranged for sexual activity with a woman in exchange for $150 via the Cash App, then drove to East Palestine on Jan. 23 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession. The affidavit by an agent with the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force said Trikilis allegedly responded to over 40 posted undercover ads within two years.

A pretrial was set April 13 for Grant Kelner Sandrock, 54, Youngstown, 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 woman in exchange for $140, then traveling to East Palestine on Jan. 23 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.

A pretrial was set April 8 for Fernell Howard, 36, Akron, charged with engaging in prostitution, possessing criminal tools and obstructing official business for allegedly responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranging for sexual activity with a woman in exchange for $80, then traveled to East Palestine on Jan. 22 for the meeting. When he was stopped by police, he allegedly deleted the texting application from his mobile device.

Shawn T. Bell, 40, Neeld Road, East Palestine, was fined $150 for disorderly conduct amended from obstructing official business. He was accused of lying in an attempt to mislead Columbiana police officers regarding a fight on July 27 outside Riser’s Tavern in Columbiana.

Ryan James Kost, 27, state Route 14, New Waterford, was fined $250 and given a suspended 90-day jail term for criminal damaging, with a charge of theft dismissed. He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service and to pay restitution of $4,309 or repair the vehicle to the victim’s satisfaction. Kost kicked a woman’s vehicle in the door several times along with the windshield, completely breaking it out, and causing dents in multiple places and pulling on the hood, buckling it during a disturbance on July 25, 2025 in New Waterford. He was also accused of taking the keys and a pink duffel bag and fleeing the area.

A pretrial was set April 1 for Kayla Clingerman, 39, listed as homeless, Salem, charged with criminal trespass for allegedly trespassing on a relative’s property in Salem on Jan. 22.

Brian Noble, 55, Pauls Lane, East Liverpool, was fined $100 for a litter, garbage, trash or junk violation, with the fine suspended on the condition that he remedy the litter situation by June 1. He was cited for junk and debris on his East Liverpool property on July 29, 2025.

A pretrial was set April 8 for Walter E. Crow Jr., 30, Youngstown, charged with operating a vehicle impaired second offense, failure to stop after an accident and marked lanes.

A pretrial was set April 8 for Eric Todd Rogers, 52, South Hollywood Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with driving under suspension and speeding.

A pretrial was set Feb. 18 for Kevin Mutton, 47, U.S. Route 30, Kensington, charged with driving under suspension.

A pretrial was set April 8 for Jason W. Varley, 45, Richardson Avenue, Negley, charged with failure to stop after an accident and left of center.

Nicholas M. May, 25, Foundry Hill Road, Hanoverton, was fined $1,125 and sentenced 180 days in jail, with 170 days suspended, with $500 of the fine suspended and credit for three days served in a driver intervention program, leaving a balance of seven days to serve in jail for two merged OVI charges and failure to control. His driver’s license was suspended for one year and he was ordered to complete 40 hours community service.

Terrance J. Solin, 35, Ashli Lane, Columbiana, was fined $565 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 87 days suspended and credit for three days served in a driver intervention program, for OVI. His driver’s license was suspended for one year, with driving privileges granted. A stop sign violation was dismissed.

Melissa Sue Skidmore, 47, King Street, Minerva, was fined $150 for no license amended from driving under suspension.

Luis Manuel Bonilla De Jesus, 33, Youngstown, was fined $100 for reckless operation amended from OVI first offense and tinted glass.

Jack Veon, 47, Kent, was fined $220 for driving under suspension and speeding.

Anthony Tyler Owens, 37, Girard, was fined $250 for no license amended from driving under suspension and speeding.

Shelli M. Rodd, 35, Sandy Creek Road, Minerva, was fined $150 for speeding.

Kirsten Kay Mariotti, 40, West Pine Lake Road, Salem, was fined $40 for a turn signal violation.

Stephen Stock, 74, Brunswick, N.C., was ordered to pay costs only for speeding.

Tyler L. Cox, 23, Charlton Street, Lisbon, was fined $150 for driving under suspension.

Common Pleas

New Cases

U.S. Bank National Association, Owensboro, Ky., vs. Rickie L. Burnette, South West Street, Columbiana, et al.; mortgage foreclosure sought for South West Street, Columbiana property.

Docket Entries

County Treasurer vs. George E. Rock, et al.; delinquent property taxes paid, case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Everett S. Linger, et al.; delinquent property taxes paid, case dismissed.

Zachary M. Renaldy and Gabrielle L. Renaldy; dissolution granted.

Richard L. Krosen vs. Charlene McKnight; default judgment previously granted to plaintiff vacated and set aside.

County Treasurer vs. Harnett Land Company Inc., et al.; delinquent property taxes paid, case dismissed.

Marriage Licenses

Dustin C. Culp, 43, Wellsville, Amazon associate, and Sarah A. Wolf, 42, Wellsville, unemployed.

Eric R. Westfall, 40, Salem, maintenance, and Angela M. Davenport, 44, Leetonia, wound nurse.

Christian C. Eva, 24, Salem, production operator, and Angel Marie Riggs, 26, Salem, production operator.

James M. Bailey, 51, Rogers, unemployed, and Margaret Ellen Curran, 61, Rogers, disabled.

Court News

LISBON — A Salineville man who was sentenced in 2011 to 13 years in prison for charges of aggravated burglary and two counts of kidnapping is challenging the 2025 indictment against him for allegedly failing to register as a violent offender

Christopher Crooms, 37, Summit Drive, was indicted last year with fifth-degree felony failure to fulfill violent offender database duties for allegedly failing to notify the sheriff’s office of changing his address as of April 1 for the violent offender registry.

In November 2025, his defense attorney filed a motion to dismiss the indictment and vacate any ongoing obligation for him to register as a violent offender.

Columbiana County Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Washam explained in a recent judgment entry that the defendant abandoned his challenge to Sierah’s Law based on the retroactive application and double jeopardy, recognizing that the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that offender registration laws aren’t intended to inflict additional punishment on violent offenders. Crooms had been sentenced to prison in 2011 while the law for the violent offender registration didn’t take effect until 2019.

Washam said the remaining issue to be decided is the defendant’s claim that he didn’t receive proper notice about the violent offender registration requirement. Washam wrote that the defendant was entitled to receive a written, mandatory notice before being released from prison. He was released from prison on June 8, 2022 and the only evidence of the notice being sent to the defendant was dated Sept. 28, 2022., after his release from prison.

Washam agreed to give the state until Feb. 6 to demonstrate that prior to the defendant being released from prison on June 8, 2022, he was provided with written notice of the violent offender registration requirement.

A status conference was set for Feb. 13.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

–Thomas C. Joy, 31, Avondale Street, East Liverpool, was placed on a treatment plan for three years after pleading guilty to aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. He was also ordered to serve a term at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center in Wintersville until the program is successfully completed and received credit for two days served in jail. Joy possessed methamphetamine on June 28, 2024.