Court News

LISBON — A Columbiana man accused of possessing images of child pornography has again been found competent to stand trial.

Richard Braham, 27, West Park Avenue, had previously been found competent and without serious mental issues last fall, but his defense attorney Charley Kidder requested another evaluation in February, which was ordered but wasn’t completed.

On April 20, Columbiana County Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Washam again ordered the evaluations be done by the Forensic Psychiatric Center of Northeast Ohio.

Braham was charged last year with one count of pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person, a fourth-degree felony, and four counts of illegal use of minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance, a fifth-degree felony. All the charges stemmed from his alleged possession of the images of children in a state of nudity on Nov. 10, 2023.

A status hearing is set for June 18, with a jury trial set for July 13.

Also in Common Pleas Court:

— Charles A. Slocum Jr., 34, Brookfield Avenue, Lisbon, was sentenced to two consecutive sentences of 12 months each for a total of 24 months in prison for fifth-degree felonies of assault and obstructing official business and fourth-degree felony failure to verify address. He received credit for 112 days served in jail. Between Jan. 14 and Feb. 3, he failed to verify his current address for the sex offender registration. In the assault case, he tried to harm a man i a detention facility on July 15, 2025.

— Eric C. Travis, 44, state Route 14, Columbiana, was placed under community control for three years and ordered to serve 23 days in jail, with credit for nine days served, after pleading guilty to aggravated assault, a fourth-degree felony lesser-included offense of felonious assault, a second-degree felony, and misdemeanor charges of using weapons while intoxicated and domestic violence. Charges of domestic violence, aggravated menacing and a firearm specification were dismissed. Travis was accused of pushing a woman to the ground and then pinning her down, putting a 9mm pistol in her mouth during an argument and also discharging three rounds from the 9mm pistol into the floor of the living room on June 27, 2025 in Columbiana.

— Brett Goughnour, 51, Monaca, Pa., was sentenced to 11 months in prison after pleading guilty to charges from two separate cases, including trespass in a habitation when a person is present or likely to be present, a fourth-degree felony, a lesser offense of fifth-degree felony attempted assault (originally fourth-degree felony assault), and misdemeanors of criminal damaging, resisting arrest and menacing. He received credit for 343 days served in jail. Goughnour attempted to assault a police officer while being placed into custody in the parking lot of the Wellsville McDonald’s restaurant on June 7, 2025. Police had been called to the lot for a person who appeared intoxicated sitting in his vehicle. He told officers he was intoxicated, then started making threats toward them. When he was taken out of the vehicle, he attempted to elbow an officer, then punched the other officer in the head. He was tased twice during the altercation. During the incident, Goughnour damaged an officer’s radio. He also trespassed at a property on Sept. 8, 2025.

— Brandon R. Moore, 22, Annsley Road, East Liverpool, pleaded guilty to charges from three separate indictments, with sentencing set for June 26. Moore entered guilty pleas to improperly discharging a firearm at or into a habitation or school zone, a second-degree felony, third-degree felony burglary and fifth-degree felonies of breaking and entering and possessing criminal tools. Charges of theft, improperly discharging a firearm in a motor vehicle and a firearm specification will be dismissed. The discharging of a firearm occurred on April 13, 2023, he trespassed in a structure on May 1, 2023 and trespassed in a structure with a flashlight on May 4, 2023.

— Damien T. Phillips, 23, Ohio Avenue, Salem, was sentenced to 10 months in prison for fifth-degree felony aggravated possession of drugs and misdemeanors of resisting arrest, obstructing official business and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia, with credit for 36 days served in jail. Phillips was accused of possessing methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest and obstructing officials on Dec. 22, 2024.

— Jeffrey Meredith, 32, Wells Avenue, Wellsville, was sentenced to 10 months in prison after violating the terms of his probation for fourth-degree felony improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle and fifth-degree felony possession of a fentanyl-related compound, with credit for 123 days already served. His community control was dishonorably terminated. He had a loaded firearm in a vehicle on Oct. 19, 2021 and possessed fentanyl on March 25, 2022.

— Thomas W. Akers, 36, St. George Street, East Liverpool, was sentenced to 10 months in prison after violating the terms of probation for three counts of nonsupport of dependents, a fifth-degree felony, with credit for 55 days served. He failed to pay support for three children from July 4, 2021 to July 2, 2023.

— Robert P. Bowyer, 57, Moore Road, East Liverpool, was sentenced to nine months in prison for violating the terms of his probation for fifth-degree felonies of vandalism and possession of cocaine and third-degree felony tampering with evidence. He received credit for 99 days served. Bowyer was accused of causing harm to property on June 20 and of possessing cocaine and tampering with evidence on April 23, 2023.

— Brandon Kyle Hodges, 41, Highland Avenue, Wellsville, was sentenced to three years community control for aggravated possession of drugs for possessing methamphetamine on Jan. 11, 2024.

— Benny R. Miley, 36, Cleveland, was sentenced to 180 days in jail,with 172 days suspended and credit for eight days served after pleading guilty to two counts of permitting drug abuse, a misdemeanor lesser offense from the original fifth-degree felony charges of possession of drugs and possession of cocaine, for possessing methamphetamine and cocaine on Oct. 12, 2023.

— Lily L. Marshall, 23, North Lima, was ordered to serve seven days in jail for failing to comply with the terms and conditions of her treatment plan when she appeared for drug court for possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a fifth-degree felony. She possessed fentanyl on March 18, 2024.

— Timothy Kondik, 57, North Canton, was placed under community control for three years after violating the terms of his treatment plan and intervention for aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, for possessing methamphetamine on Jan. 10, 2025.

— Bradley J. Reeder, 44, West Lincoln Way, Lisbon, was ordered to serve three days in jail for violating the terms of his probation for two counts of aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony for possessing methamphetamine on April 1, 2024 and May 21, 2024.

Common Pleas

NEW CASES

Snap-On Credit LLC, Chicago, Ill., vs. Edwin P. Schmidt, North Market Street, Lisbon; collection sought of alleged $18,902 debt.

Richard L. Nelson III, Warren, vs. Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, Columbus, and R & L Carriers Shared Services LLC, Wilmington; appeal of claim denial.

Huntington National Bank, Columbus, vs. Mark E. Elick II, Sprucevale Road, East Liverpool, et al.; money/mortgage foreclosure sought for Columbiana County property.

DOCKET ENTRIES

James Armeni Sr., et al. vs. Don Tilton, doing business as Tilton Contracting; retired Trumbull County Common Pleas Court Judge Andrew D. Logan assigned as visiting judge to handle case.

Rocket Mortgage, LLC vs. Jordan Spencer, et al.; foreclosure complaint dismissed.

MARRIAGE LICENSES

James H. Kellner, 73, Leetonia, retired, and Toni M. Beeson, 75, Columbiana, retired.

Cole A. Pickens, 20, East Liverpool, millwright, and Alaina G. Jones, 20, Rogers, horse trainer.

James L. Homman Jr., 58, Salem, owner of business, and Kimberly V. Holt, 55, Salem, registered nurse.

Matthew A. Kaupinis, 44, Coraopolis, Pa., production planner, and Heather R. Pitts, 41, Lisbon, supply planner.

Timothy D. Davin, 27, Salem, Walmart, and Kathleen E. Krabill, 30, Salem, DoorDash.

Cody T. Wargo, 27, Homeworth, mechanic, and Olivia F. Dawes, 26, Homeworth, nanny.

Nathaniel S. Ketchum, 29, Wellsville, fireman/EMT, and McKenna M. Simms, 25, Wellsville, teacher.

Michael A. Gorby II, 46, Lisbon, self employed, and Nicole D. Vlaiku, 50, Lisbon, veteran.

Municipal

LISBON — In Columbiana County Municipal Court, a Youngstown man was fined and ordered to pay restitution for damaging a vehicle in Columbiana.

Robert Farkas, 49, South Avenue, was sentenced to 60 days in jail with 58 days suspended and credit for two days served, 40 hours of community service, ordered to pay $622 restitution to the victim, and fined $250 for criminal damaging for throwing a rock through the rear window of a vehicle in Columbiana on July 31.

Gerald Nicholson, 71, Norvelt, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 90 days in jail with 90 days suspended, 20 hours of community service, and fined $750 for engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools for arranging to meet with an undercover agent from the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force in East Palestine for sexual activity in exchange for $140 and possessing the currency and the cellular device used to arrange the criminal act at that time on March 30.

Judson Edling, 40, Cleveland Street, Salem, was fined $150 and ordered to pay $633 restitution to the Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office within 120 days for criminal damage and possession of drug paraphernalia. The charge of possession of drug paraphernalia stems from an incident on March 27 when a clear pipe with burnt residue was located in his vehicle during a traffic stop in Salem. The charge of criminal damaging stemmed from an incident where he destroyed an electronic device while an inmate at the Columbiana County Jail on Feb. 9.