Municipal

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, a preliminary/pretrial hearing was set March 11 for Devon Gage Lockhart, 23, West Ninth Street, East Liverpool, charged with fourth-degree felony receiving stolen property and misdemeanor discharge firearm. Also on March 11, he’s facing probable cause hearings for allegedly violating the terms of his probation for a 2023 case of criminal mischief and a 2023 case of theft. On March 3 during a traffic stop in East Liverpool, Lockhart was a passenger and a stolen firearm out of Akron was found under his seat. He allegedly took ownership of the stolen firearm. On Feb. 7, he allegedly shot a firearm multiple times aiming at a metal barrel in the back yard of his property, which is in walking distance of Fawcett Apartments and the neighborhood playground.

Jonathon R. Easterday, 35, Ravine Street, East Liverpool, was fined $750 and sentenced to 30 days in jail, with credit for nine days served, leaving 21 days still to serve in jail for furnishing false information, no license, and assault. Easterday was accused of punching another man in the face on Oct. 2, 2025 in East Liverpool. The other two charges stemmed from a traffic stop on Nov. 15, 2025 in Wellsville. A third-degree felony charge of domestic violence was dismissed at the request of the state for an incident on Jan. 29 in Wellsville when he allegedly pushed a woman in the chest and she fell into a glass box.

Ryan L. Gillespie, 43, Fisher Avenue, East Liverpool, was fined $500 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 178 days suspended and credit for two days served, for assault amended from domestic violence. He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service. Gillespie was accused of a domestic that happened at Wendy’s Restaurant in St. Clair Township on Oct. 4, 2025.

A pretrial was set March 18 for Shawna M. Lewis, 40, West Martin Street, East Palestine, charged with domestic violence for allegedly striking a man in the face during a physical altercation in her car in East Palestine after he allegedly struck her in the face on March 2.

Andrew J. Nutt, 38, West Park Avenue, Columbiana, was ordered to serve 59 days in the county jail, with credit for 12 days served, leaving a balance of 47 days still to serve in jail for violating the terms of his probation for a 2024 case domestic violence.

A pretrial was set May 19 for Kimberly Linn Clay-Carrillo, 57, Southeast Boulevard, Salem, charged with soliciting for allegedly posting an ad on a known prostitution website offering sex for hire and arranging for sexual activity in exchange for money with an undercover agent posing as a purchaser of sex, then traveling to East Palestine on March 2 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in her possession.

A pretrial was set May 4 for Rodric Barry Lee Hartman, 22, Kinsman, 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 $80, then traveling to East Palestine on March 3 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.

A pretrial was set April 29 for Jason Xavier Monge, 34, Pittsburgh, Pa., 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 money to be paid via the Cash Ap, then arriving in East Palestine on March 2 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.

Matthew Richard Krause, 53, East Line Street, Minerva, 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 a prostitution prevention course. Krause was accused of responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranging for sexual activity with a woman in exchange for money to be paid via Pay Pal, then traveling to East Palestine on Dec. 12, 2025 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.

William Conrad, 18, Pope Avenue, East Liverpool, was fined $200 and sentenced to 180 day in jail, with 179 days suspended and credit for one day served, for theft and possessing criminal tools. He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service. Conrad was one of three people accused of stuffing items from the Calcutta Walmart into their book bags, with Conrad stealing 19 items valued at $134 on Nov. 29, 2025.

Zachary Tyler David Rudder, 28, Henry Avenue, Wellsville, was fined $700 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 160 days suspended and credit for 13 days served, leaving a balance of seven days still to serve in jail for criminal damaging and two counts of theft. He was ordered to complete 40 hours community service and to make restitution of $360.44 to the St. Clair Laundry Room. He was accused of concealing food items underneath his coat, including a burger and pineapple juice, and leaving Giant Eagle, East Liverpool, without paying for the items on Nov. 11, 2025. On Oct. 4, he was accused of damaging a vending machine and taking food items from the machine at the St. Clair laundromat in East Liverpool.

Benjamin J. Wallace, 38, South Lincoln Avenue, Salem, was fined $350 for theft for stealing a backpack from another man’s work truck in Salem on July 7, 2025.

Nicholas S. Faulk, 36, Academy Street, Salineville, was fined $150 for drug paraphernalia for possessing two glass pipes with burnt residue during a traffic stop on Dec. 1, 2025 in Franklin Township.

A court trial was set May 13 for Rick Beadle, 68, Washington Street, Salineville, charged with two counts of permit unclean habitation for allegedly alllowing trash, grass and tall weeds to accumulate at an address on Salineville Road West, Salineville and trash, broken windows and tall grass to accumulate at an address on West Main Street, Salineville, both on Aug. 17, 2025.

A charge of improper backing against Jannelis Lopez Calo, 38, Elyria, was dismissed at the request of the state. The judgment entry said the defendant provided the state with dash cam video of the incident.

Cody A. Hostetter, 24, North Pleasant Drive, East Palestine, was fined $300 for two counts of illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia. Hostetter possessed a plastic straw with residue when he was a passenger during a traffic stop on Dec. 11, 2025 in Salem. During a traffic stop on March 2 in Leetonia when he was a passenger, he possessed a clear glass pipe with residue, suspected crystal meth and other paraphernalia.

Mary G. Hamilton, 35, state Route 45, Lisbon, was fined $1,030 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 86 days suspended and credit for four days served, for operating a vehicle impaired, theft, no seat belt and a turn signal violation. Her driver’s license was suspended for one year and she was ordered to complete 40 hours community service and stay out of Salem Walmart. On Nov. 3, 2025, she was observed bagging multiple items in self-checkout without paying for them at the Salem Walmart, with the stolen items totaling $73.65.

A pretrial was set May 6 for Jaydin Isaiah Delauder, 22, Pennsylvania Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with driving under suspension and improper/expired registration.

John J. Miller, 74, East Park Avenue, Columbiana, was fined $975 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 87 days suspended, for a turn signal violation and merged charges of operating a vehicle impaired first offense and OVI breath first offense. He will receive credit for three days served in jail and $500 of his fine will be suspended for attending a driver intervention program. His driver’s license was suspended for one year.

Ashley Renee Singhaus, 39, East Pine Street, Lisbon, 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. 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.

Ricardo Gonzalez Jr., 35, Park Avenue, East Palestine, was fined $50 for open container.

Timothy A. Maple, 53, Echo Dell Road, East Liverpool, was fined $75 for an equipment violation amended from no license.

Ralph J. Pieren, 69, U.S. Route 30, Lisbon, was fined $150 for court ordered suspension.

Tina E. Best, 49, Sheely Road, Leetonia, was fined $150 for stopped school bus violation.

Lucas Harrison Davis, 43, Cadmus Street, East Liverpool, was fined $75 for no license amended from driving under suspension.

George P. Kay, 24, Allison Park, Pa., was fined $100 for lighted lights amended from speeding.

Krislyn Marie Young, 35, state Route 154, Elkton, was fined $150 for driving under suspension.

Matthew B. Stride, 22, Allen Avenue, Columbiana, was fined $150 for speeding.

Common Pleas

New Cases

County Treasurer, Lisbon, vs. James Laut, Valley Road, Salem, et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure sought for Valley Road, Salem property.

Susan Deltino, Fisher Avenue, East Liverpool, and David Deltino, Beaver Falls, Pa.; dissolution sought.

Norma Hylton-Carr, individually and as trustee for Western Reserve Mutual Casualty Company, East Rebecca Street, East Palestine, and Western Reserve Mutual Casualty Company, Wooster, vs. Carter James Melott, South Washington Street, East Palestine; judgment sought regarding uninsured motorist claims against defendant totaling $1,883 and $7,159 for 2024 traffic crash.

Elizabeth A. Hickman, Ravenna, vs. Timothy C. Hickman, Bell School Road, East Liverpool and Philip J. Hickman, Selinsgrove, Pa., et al.; sale of Bell School Road, East Liverpool property sought, with plaintiff seeking 1/3 of proceeds.

Docket Entries

Joy L. Gorby vs. Michael A. Gorby; divorce granted.

Taylor Shupp and Keith Shupp Jr.; petition for dissolution dismissed.

Court News

LISBON — The case against a Pennsylvania man caught in a sex for hire sting in 2023 was dismissed recently after it was determined he’s not competent and not restorable to competency within the six months permitted by statute.

Steven R. Stark, 47, Susquehanna, Pa., appeared by telephone in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court before Judge Scott Washam for a status hearing due to his physical distance being hours away from the court. During the hearing, the judge noted that the most recent report from the Forensic Psychiatric Center of Northeast Ohio found that Stark wasn’t able to understand the nature and objectives of legal proceedings and there was not a substantial probability that he could be restored to competency.

Based on that evaluation and taking into consideration all relevant information, Washam ruled that Stark was not currently competent despite efforts at restoration and wasn’t restorable. He noted that the state elected not to pursue any sort of probate/civil commitment proceedings. He dismissed the charges in the case, waived the court costs and discharged with the defendant.

In the fall, the state had been granted time to investigate the probability of restoring the defendant to competency if inpatient hospitalization services were provided at Heartland Behavioral Health.

Previously, the judge ordered the least restrictive treatment available considering public safety and Stark’s treatment needs related to restoration, with outpatient weekly psychoeducational services through the Forensic Psychiatric Center of Northeast Ohio.

In September 2024, Stark entered a guilty plea to attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, a fifth-degree felony. Charges of third-degree felony compelling prostitution, fifth-degree felony possessing criminal tools and misdemeanor engaging in prostitution were to be dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

He was originally scheduled for sentencing on Dec. 19, 2024, but the hearing was continued until Jan. 10, 2025 then continued again until March 6, 2025 when the competency evaluation was ordered. In May 2025, he was found not competent.

Stark was accused of responding to a posted undercover ad of an adult female and 15-year-old female on a known prostitution website and arranging to have sexual conduct with both females in exchange for $320, then arriving in East Palestine on Aug. 7, 2023 for the meeting where he was met by police.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— Brian J. Fattler, 52, last known address Jefferson Avenue, Salem, was placed under community control for three years after pleading guilty to domestic violence, with credit for 23 days served in jail. Charges of third-degree felony abduction and misdemeanor unlawful restraint were dismissed. He was accused of holding a woman down against her will and not letting her go, with a knife in his hand which he put down by her side on Sept. 21, 2025 in West Township.

— Crystal M. Evans, 38, North Lima, was sentenced to 12 months in prison, with credit for 30 days served, for violating the terms of her probation for failure to provide notice of change of address, a third-degree felony. Her community control was dishonorably terminated. Evans failed to notify the sheriff’s office of her change of address for the sex offender registration on Jan. 27, 2022.

— Joseph Altenburg, 38, state Route 165, East Palestine, was ordered to serve nine months in prison after pleading guilty to third-degree felony domestic violence and misdemeanors of criminal damaging, aggravated menacing and resisting arrest. Charges of domestic violence and disorderly conduct were dismissed. The nine-month prison term was ordered served consecutively to or after an 18-month term he received in August 2025 for violating the terms of his probation for a 2023 third-degree felony domestic violence case, bringing his prison time to 27 months. For the 2025 case he was accused of physically assaulting a woman by grabbing her hair, throwing objects at her, pinning her arm behind her back and pushing her around, also forcefully removing multiple acrylic nails from her fingers on July 4 in Unity Township, also threatening her after being taken into custody, kicking the cruiser door and damaging it and pulling away from officers. The other case involved a domestic on July 9, 2023.

— Kimberly A. Beatty, 34, Ohio Avenue, East Liverpool, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony, with sentencing set for April 27. Beatty possessed cocaine on May 24, 2024.