Court News

LISBON –A man caught during a drug raid in February 2025 near Franklin Square entered a guilty plea recently in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court to multiple drug counts, with sentencing set for July 9.

Matthew Bays, 38, East Perry Street, Salem, pleaded guilty to third-degree felony aggravated possession of drugs, fifth-degree felonies of two counts aggravated possession of drugs and one count possession of a fentanyl-related compound, two counts of misdemeanor possession of drugs and a specification for forfeiture of money from a drug case. A charge of aggravated trafficking in drugs was dismissed.

Bays possessed methamphetamine in an amount equal or greater than bulk but less than five times bulk, $376, amphetamine, fentanyl, psilocyn, xylazine and alprazolam. All of the charges stemmed from Feb. 28, 2025 when the Columbiana County Drug Task Force and county Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at an old state Route 344, Leetonia property. Units were assisted by police officers from Salem and Lisbon.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— Diego D. Galicia, 30, Johnson City, Tenn., pleaded guilty to third-degree felony tampering with evidence and misdemeanors of engaging in prostitution, possessing criminal tools, and resisting arrest, with sentencing set for July 10. Charges of obstructing official business and failure to disclose one’s personal information will be dismissed. Galicia responded to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranged for sexual activity with a woman in exchange for $200 to be paid via the Cash App, then arrived in East Palestine on Jan. 19, 2025 for the meeting. Galicia refused to exit his vehicle and had to be forcefully removed and continued to resist. While being taken into custody, he smashed his phone and destroyed it. He had refused to provide officers his name or identifying information when requested.

— Sidni R. Livolsi, 37, Maplewood Avenue, East Liverpool, was placed under community control for three years,with credit for 17 days served in jail, for bribery, a third-degree felony, and misdemeanor criminal trespass. Livolsi was being transported to the county jail by a Wellsville police officer on Dec. 17, 2024 when she offered him $12,000 to $14,000 to dismiss the charges and drop her off in East Liverpool, a police affidavit in county Municipal Court said. He denied any offers of money and told her that’s a charge. The officer had recorded the drive, so there was a recording of her trying to bribe the officer. She had been taken into custody for criminal trespass for being on the porch of a home in Wellsville on Dec. 17, 2024.

— Zachary Edward Perry, 31, Midland, Pa., was ordered to serve a term at the Eastern Ohio Correction Center until the program is complete for third-degree felony domestic violence. He was also placed under community control for three years and received credit for 65 days served in jail. Perry was accused of throwing chicken wings at the wall, grabbing a steak knife and pointing it at another man and making a lunging motion towards him on Jan. 3 in East Liverpool. The police affidavit said the victim grabbed the knife in self-defense, then the defendant allegedly grabbed a solid glass world globe and threw it at the victim, striking his right ankle.

— Alan Heddleston, 20, Independence Square, Wellsville, was ordered to spend 14 days in the county jail, with credit for three days already served in jail, for third-degree felony failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer. He was placed under community control for three years and his driver’s license was suspended for three years. He was accused of fleeing from Salem police officers attempting a traffic stop on Oct. 4, 2024.

— Walter Morgan, 37, Cleveland, pleaded guilty to third-degree felony failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer and misdemeanor obstructing official business, with sentencing set for June 25. Charges of tampering with evidence and possession of cocaine will be dismissed. Morgan fled from an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper attempting a traffic stop on May 12 on state Route 11 in Elkrun Township. When the vehicle was initially stopped, Morgan put the vehicle in drive and fled, with speeds reaching 100-plus miles per hour. At one point, he threw a plastic bag out the window, which was later recovered containing a white powdery substance. The pursuit was terminated when he crossed the bridge into West Virginia, but there was a positive identification which matched the Ohio ID he provided before fleeing.

— Tiffany M. Sattler, 34, Sherwood Road, Wellsville, pleaded guilty to theft, a fifth-degree felony, with sentencing set for July 13. Sattler stole miscellaneous merchandise from Walmart on Nov. 12, 2025.

— Todd O. Dean, 46, Aetna Street, Salem, pleaded guilty to aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, with sentencing set for May 29, for possessing methamphetamine on June 7, 2024.

Common Pleas

New Cases

Arley James Yerkey, Oak Street, Leetonia, vs. Karalee Yerkey, also known as Montague, Lorain; divorce sought.

Devinne Marie Dietz, North Yuma Trail, Negley, vs. Akshay Gohil, Atlanta, Ga.; divorce sought.

Shawn P. Hartman, State Line Road, East Palestine, vs. Kayla B. Hartman, Roanoke Rapids, N.C.; divorce sought.

Dynamic Structures, Inc., doing business as Clearcreek Oilfield Solutions, state Route 7, New Waterford and Dynamic Leasing, Ltd., state Route 7, New Waterford, vs. EmilyAnn Paige Dustman, North Price Road, Salem; damages sought for alleged negligence from 2026 traffic crash in Columbiana County.

Oakmont Capital Holdings, LLC, West Chester, Pa., vs. Sharon Kay Pidgeon, Western Reserve Road, Salem; collection sought of alleged $278,201 debt for breach of guaranty claim.

Rocket Mortgage, LLC, Coppell, Texas, vs. James Thomas Groom, Buck Road, Alliance, et al.; mortgage foreclosure sought for Columbiana County property.

Lori A. Faulk, Enon Valley, Pa., et al. vs. Rite Aid, West Main Street, East Palestine, et al.; damages sought for alleged negligence and loss of consortium related to alleged incorrect medication given in 2024.

Docket Entries

Rocket Mortgage, LLC vs. Jordan Spencer, et al; case stayed.

Capital One, N.A. vs. Kenneth R. Foster; $2,610 judgment granted to plaintiff.

County Treasurer vs. John D. Fisher, et al.; delinquent property tax foreclosure ordered for Miller Road, Lisbon property.

Municipal

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, Jerrett Lee Carroll, 19, Idaho Avenue, East Liverpool, was fined $100 and sentenced to 30 days in jail, with 29 days suspended and credit for one day served, for disorderly conduct amended from assault.

He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service and to have no contact with the victim. He threatened to hold the victim down before he then grabbed him around the neck and threw him down on Nov. 6 in St. Clair Township.

A status conference hearing was set July 14 and a court trial was set July 21 for Joseph P. DeSalvo Jr., 49, East Third Street, Salem, charged with operating a vehicle impaired second offense and speeding.

Cory A. Thurston, 21, East Woodland Avenue, Columbiana, was fined $875 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 175 days suspended, leaving a balance of 5 days still to serve in jail, for OVI second offense. He was also ordered to serve 30 days of electronically monitored house arrest. He was ordered to complete 20 hours community service and his driver’s license was suspended for two years.

A pretrial was set July 20 for Abigail Summer Witherow, 26, Alderlick Road, Wellsville, charged with OVI first offense and marked lanes.

A pretrial was set July 28 for Payton Carter Robey, 20, Lincoln Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with OVI first offense and no valid license.

A pretrial was set July 28 for Michael James Grimm, 53, Globe Street, East Liverpool, charged with failure to signal before turning/stopping.

Heather Lynn Quinn, 41, Dresden Avenue, East Liverpool, was fined $50 for driving while texting. The fine will be suspended and no points assessed upon completion of a distracted driving course.

David Row, 41, Steubenville, was fined $225 for driving under suspension and speeding.

Lacey Jo Jones, 26, West Lincoln Way, Lisbon, was fined $100 for speeding.

Jarrod Blake Starkey, 33, Township Line Road, Wellsville, was fined $630 for three counts driving under suspension, two counts speeding and single counts of no seat belt and expired plate.

A preliminary/pretrial hearing was set May 27 for Hayden J. Hunt, 21, Laurelville, charged with fourth-degree felony failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and misdemeanors of operating a vehicle impaired first offense and reckless operation for allegedly fleeing from police in Salem on May 4 until he was stopped on a dead end road.

A preliminary hearing was set May 20 for D’Anthony Chaundel Brown, 32, Youngstown, charged with fifth-degree felonies of OVI fourth offense and OVI breath fourth offense and misdemeanor left of center for allegedly driving impaired with three prior OVI arrests within 10 years on his record on May 2 in Fairfield Township.

A pretrial was set May 27 for Molly Genau Brown, 19, Wilbert Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with assault for allegedly throwing a cordless phone at a health care worker at a doctor’s office in East Liverpool on Jan. 29 and using profanities and a racial slur.

Victoria Rakel Redman, 20, West Sixth Street, East Liverpool, was fined $250 and sentenced to 15 days in jail, with credit for seven days served, leaving eight days still to serve in jail for misdemeanor theft amended from fourth-degree felony burglary for trespassing in an apartment in East Liverpool on April 29 and taking items not belonging to her.

A pretrial was set July 28 for Kenneth Paul Bach, 50, Market Street, Salineville, charged with theft for allegedly stealing seven items totaling $155 from the Calcutta Walmart on Jan. 2.

Jawna R. Stokes, 44, North Lima, was ordered to pay costs only for disorderly conduct amended from obstructing official business, with a charge of resisting arrest dismissed, for a traffic stop on April 24 in Columbiana when she physically resisted when an officer tried to detain her.

A status conference hearing was set July 29 and a court trial was set Aug. 5 for John B. Weaver, 51, Waterloo Street, East Liverpool, charged with attempt for allegedly attempting to steal two items totaling $59 at the Calcutta Walmart on March 4.

Raymond Masters, 57, Chester, W.Va., 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. Masters was accused of responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and soliciting sex from an undercover officer, traveling to St. Clair Township for the meeting on Oct. 9, 2024.

A charge of failure to file tax return against Maria Greier, 33, Whitacre Road, Salem, was dismissed at the request of the prosecutor. She had been accused of allegedly failing to file a sales tax return for Mindful Aesthetics & Wellness in Salem.

A pretrial was set Aug. 5 for Chelsea Rose Baker, 35, Laura Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with animals running at large for her alleged dog running loose on April 26 in East Liverpool.

Jose Avila Jaime, 30, Hilliard, was fined $765 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, no license and left of center. His driver’s license was suspended for one year and he must complete 20 hours community service.

A pretrial was set Aug. 4 for Travis Lee Lutz, 52, U.S. Route 30, Lisbon, charged with driving under suspension.

A pretrial was set Aug. 5 for Nyzier Demele Humphries, 20, New Brighton, Pa,, charged with failure to move left for public safety vehicle and no seat belt.