Common Pleas

New Cases

Heather A. Sawyer-Clapsaddle, Steubenville Pike Road, Hammondsville vs. Ryan S. Clapsaddle, Steubenville Pike Road, Hammondsville; divorce sought.

John T. Shaw, Denver Street, East Liverpool, vs. Randi R. Beagle, Darlington, Pa.; divorce sought.

Docket Entries

Frank G. Rowan vs. Mark Higginbotham and Buckeye Trailer & Fab Company, LLC; Rowan’s appeal regarding unemployment conpensation denied.

Sara M. Raybuck vs. Joshua L. Raybuck; divorce granted.

County Treasurer vs. unknown heirs, etc. of Ray F. Seitz; St. Clair Township property forfeited to the state of Ohio, case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Sekely Industries Inc., et al.; Salem property forfeited to the state of Ohio, case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Twyla Lynn McElhaney; Wellsville property forfeited to the state of Ohio, case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Park Place Investments, LLC; Salem property forfeited to the state of Ohio, case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Daneen Y. Rearley, et al.; Wellsville property forfeited to the state of Ohio, case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Sean M. Russell; East Liverpool property forfeited to the state of Ohio, case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Donald Quimby, et al.; East Liverpool property forfeited to the state of Ohio, case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Justin Meiser, et al.; East Liverpool property forfeited to the state of Ohio, case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Molly H. Merryman, et al.; Salem property forfeited to the state of Ohio, case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. John Dear, et al; East Liverpool property forfeited to the state of Ohio, case dismissed.

Capital One, N.A. vs. David W. Trotter; $19,084 judgment granted to plaintiff.

U.S. Bank Trust National Association vs. Jeffrey A. McGraw, et al.; case returned to active docket.

Tary Gilbert vs. Heritage Cooperative Inc., et al.; case settled and dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Michael R. Reed, et al.; delinquent property taxes paid, case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Michael J. Hudak, et al.; delinquent property taxes paid, case dismissed.

County Treasurer vs. Patricia Lyn Myers, et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure ordered for Florence Street, East Liverpool property.

Court News

LISBON — A Salineville man accused of hitting a woman in the back of the head with a metal baseball bat last fall entered a guilty plea recently to felonious assault, a second-degree felony, and third-degree felony intimidation of an attorney, victim or witness in a criminal case.

Johnathan David Messenger, 31, West Street, Salineville, entered the plea in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court, with sentencing set for April 24.

A misdemeanor charge of aggravated menacing will be dismissed.

The incident occurred on Sept. 18, 2025 in Salineville when Messenger hit the woman in the back of the head with the bat at least three times and in her hand when she raised it to protect herself, then threatening to kill her if she called police and making jokes about killing her while transporting her to the hospital.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— Christopher Burns, 42, Glassport, Pa., pleaded guilty to third-degree felony tampering with evidence and misdemeanors of engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools, with sentencing set for April 13. He was accused of responding to an undercover familial ad on a known prostitution website of an adult mother trafficking her daughter and arranging for sexual activity with the daughter for $140, sending $60 of the fee to an undercover account through a Cash App, then arriving in East Palestine for the meeting on Aug. 8, 2025. He was found in possession of a phone concealed under a pile of personal belongings in his truck and was prohibited from owning a smart phone as a condition of his probation for a case involving video recording a minor in a state of unity and sexual conduct with a minor, according to an affidavit by an agent of the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force.

— Preston English, 32, Ravine Street, East Liverpool, pleaded guilty to fifth-degree felonies of possession of cocaine, possession of a fentanyl-related compound, aggravated possession of drugs and four counts of possession of drugs for allegedly possessing cocaine, fentanyl, oxycodone, clonazepam, buprenorphine, alprazolam and xylazine on Nov. 2, 2024. Charges of third-degree felony tampering with evidence and misdemeanor obstructing official business will be dismissed. He had been accused of failing to come out of a house in East Liverpool on Nov. 2, 2024 when police officers had a warrant for his arrest. He was found hiding in a bath tub in the residence. During a pat down before being transported to the county jail, he allegedly tried to kick away a baggy of suspected narcotics that fell from his shorts to the ground.

— Loren C. Webb, 47, Cleveland, pleaded guilty to third-degree felonies of illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto the grounds of a specified governmental facility and possession of a fentanyl-related compound and fourth-degree felony possession of cocaine, with sentencing set for April 24 for possessing both fentanyl and cocaine in amounts equal or greater than 5 grams but less than 10 grams and trying to take drugs into a detention facility on June 1, 2023.

— An East Liverpool man facing three drug cases, including for a charge of drug trafficking, was sentenced recently in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court to four to six years in prison.

Norman D. Sleper, 58, Ravine Street, pleaded guilty to aggravated trafficking in drugs and aggravated possession of drugs, both second-degree felonies, and possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony, for a case from May 4, 2024 when he was accused of trafficking and possessing methamphetamine in an amount equal or greater than five times bulk but less than 50 times bulk and also possessing cocaine. He received credit for three days served in jail and a mandatory fine of $7,500. The two second-degree felonies were merged for sentencing, with the state electing to proceed on the trafficking charge.

Sleper also pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine, aggravated possession of drugs and possession of a fentanyl-related compound, all fifth-degree felonies, for possessing cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl and $20 on Sept. 4, 2024. He was ordered to forfeit the $20 and the 10-month prison term was ordered served at the same time as the four to six years.

He was sentenced to six months, ordered served at the same time as the four to six years, for aggravated possession of drugs, with credit for 103 days already served. He was ordered to forfeit $405. Sleper was accused of possessing methamphetamine and $405 on March 10, 2024.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— Van Evans, 20, East Cleveland, pleaded guilty to third-degree felony tampering with evidence, with sentencing set for April 30. Evans was accused of admitting to flushing two bags of drugs down the toilet when the Columbiana County Drug Task Force was executing a search warrant at a West Fourth Street apartment in East Liverpool on June 10, 2025.

— Sarah Ann Updyke, 45, Canton, was ordered to serve a term at the Eastern Ohio Correction until the program is complete and was placed under community control for three years for aggravated trafficking in drugs, a third-degree felony lesser-included offense from the original second-degree felony charge, and aggravated possession of drugs and possessing criminal tools, both fifth-degree felonies, with specifications for forfeiture of money from a drug case. She received credit for one day served in jail and was ordered to forfeit $43. She received a mandatory $5,000 fine. Updyke was accused of trafficking and possessing methphetamine and $43 on Dec. 28, 2023.

— James R. Howell, 60, Ohio Avenue, East Liverpool, was ordered to serve 240 days in the county jail, with credit for 197 days served, leaving a balance of 43 days still to serve in jail for violating the terms of his treatment plan for fifth-degree felonies of aggravated possession of drugs and possession of cocaine and misdemeanor illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia. His treatment plan was dishonorably terminated. Howell possessed methamphetamine on July 6, 2024 and cocaine and drug paraphernalia on April 30, 2024.

— Justin C. Davis, 41, West Pine Lake Road, Salem, was placed under community control for six months after pleading guilty to endangering children, a misdemeanor. Charges of fourth-degree felony strangulation and misdemeanor domestic violence were dismissed. Davis was accused of putting a child at risk on June 17, 2025.

— Nicholas Wolfe, 46, Failor Road, East Palestine, was placed into drug court for a period not to exceed five years after pleading guilty to aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, with credit for one day served in jail. Davis possessed methamphetamine on Oct. 29, 2024.

— Krista M. Gallite, 38, Lexington Avenue, Salem, was placed into drug court for a period not to exceed five years after pleading guilty to aggravated possession of drugs for possessing methamphetamine on March 23, 2025.

— Jessica L. Hilderbrand, 35, Spillway Road, Lisbon, was placed under a treatment plan for three years after pleading guilty to aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, for possessing methamphetamine on March 20, 2024.

— Dylan C. Walsh, 24, Lacroft Avenue, East Liverpool, was placed under community control for three years and ordered to serve six months at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center after pleading guilty to aggravated possession of drugs, a third-degree felony, and misdemeanor illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia. He received a mandatory fine of $5,000. Walsh possessed methphetamine in an amount equal or greater than bulk but less than five times bulk, along with paraphernalia, on Jan. 27, 2025.

Grand Jury

LISBON — Secret indictments issued by the Columbiana County Grand Jury were served Tuesday to two separate drug defendants, including:

— Derek J. Thompson, 31, St. George Street, East Liverpool, third-degree felonies of trafficking in cocaine and possession of cocaine, each with specifications for forfeiture of money in a drug case for allegedly preparing for sale and possessing cocaine in an amount equal or greater than 10 grams but less than 20 grams and possessing $414 on May 1, 2025.

— Sheila Marie Kralj, 45, Youngstown, possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony, for allegedly possessing cocaine on Oct. 13, 2024.