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Common Pleas
NEW CASES
John M. Thomas, Stookesberry Road, Lisbon, vs. Virginia R. Thomas, Duke Road, East Liverpool; divorce sought.
Keith Hanson, Amsterdam, vs. Buckeye Trailer & Fab Company, LLC, Damascus and Mark Higinbotham, Painter Road, Salem; damages sought for claims of alleged religious, age, military, disability and retaliation discrimination and termination of employment, case transferred from Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
DOCKET ENTRIES
Melissa L. Harris vs. Steve B. Harris; divorce granted.
LVNV Funding LLC vs. Nicki Hazen; case dismissed.
Citizens Bank, N.A. vs. unknown spouse, creditors, etc if any of Robert C. Householder, et al.; mortgage foreclosure ordered for Shady Lane, Salem property.
Crosscountry Mortgage, LLC vs. Ryan T. Ammon, et al.; foreclosure complaint dismissed.
Court News
LISBON -- A former Rogers man accused of robbing a resident hosting a garage sale last year pleaded guilty to robbery, a second-degree felony.
Lance Bishop, 20, Glasgow Road, Lisbon, who previously lived on Walnut Street, Rogers, entered the plea during a recent hearing in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court, with sentencing set for Sept. 25.
Misdemeanors of assault and theft will be dismissed for the incident May 23, 2025 in Rogers at a garage sale hosted by the victim.
Bishop was accused of grabbing a money pouch from under a woman's arm, ripping it from her and attempting to leave on a bicycle, then running on foot with the pouch containing $300 and a cell phone. The woman suffered injuries to her arm, leg and belly area and received treatment at a hospital.
Also in Common Pleas Court:
-- Based on a defense motion to dismiss and then the state's motion to dismiss, a fourth-degree felony charge of domestic violence against Kevin E. Bacher Jr., 38, Struthers, previously Salem, was dismissed after the victim in the case testified she made a false statement to police which led to the charge. Bacher had been scheduled to face a jury trial on July 7, but it was continued when the defense filed its motion to dismiss based on the victim making statements that she falsified what she told law enforcement during the investigation. During a motions hearing on July 7, she took the stand and then the state moved for dismissal based on her testimony that she lied in her statement to police. The charge stemmed from an incident on Oct. 31, 2024.
-- A charge of failure to register, a third-degree felony, was dismissed against Deon A. Richmond, 58, Smithfield Street, East Liverpool, after he was found still not competent and unable to be restored to competency based on the latest psychiatric evaluation. In a judgment entry, Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Washam said Heartland Behavioral Healthcare will find an appropriate placement for the defendant. Richmond did not attend the recent hearing because he was hospitalized at Heartland Behavioral Healthcare. He had been accused of failing to register his address for the sex offender registration on Dec. 10, 2024.
-- Cody H. Dailey, 40, Woodville Road, Leetonia, pleaded guilty to failure to stop after an accident, a misdemeanor amended from a felony, for allegedly failing to stop after being involved in an accident on Oct. 5, 2025 which injured Cole Milsom along state Route 164 outside Lisbon. Sentencing was set Sept. 25.
-- Aaron Delo, 33, Fairfield School Road, Columbiana, pleaded guilty to counterfeiting, a fourth-degree felony, with sentencing set for Sept. 25. The counterfeiting incident occurred on Oct. 13, 2025.
-- Robert T. Manypenny, 43, state Route 164, Lisbon, was sentenced to three years community control after pleading guilty to fifth-degree felony possession of a fentanyl-related compound and misdemeanor possession of drugs for possessing fentanyl and xylazine on Oct. 4, 2023. The sentence also included 42 days in jail, which had already been served.
-- Collan M. Craig, 26, state Route 534, Salem, pleaded guilty to failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony, and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, a drug of abuse or a combination of them-OVI, a misdemeanor, with sentencing set for Oct. 2. Another OVI charge will be dismissed. Craig fled from a traffic stop in Perry Township while impaired on Nov. 27, 2025.
Grand Jury
LISBON -- A Leetonia man accused of allegedly having sexual contact with a 5-year-old child was served Wednesday with a secret indictment issued by the Columbiana County Grand Jury.
Scott E. Arter, 61, Leetonia Road, was charged with gross sexual imposition, a third-degree felony, for allegedly having the sexual contact with the child victim on August. 24, 2025. Arraignment is scheduled for July 30 in Common Pleas Court.
A charge of obstructing official business was also filed against him through county Municipal Court.
Also served with secret indictments were:
-- Derek J. Thompson, 31, Chester Avenue, Wellsville, possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, for allegedly possessing buprenorphine on Sept. 8, 2025.
-- Nicholas O'Hanlon, 28, Cleveland, two counts possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony, for allegedly possessing cocaine on Jan. 9 and April 6.
Municipal
LISBON -- In Columbiana County Municipal Court, Rozalyn E. Feliciano, 21, Carbon Hill Road, East Palestine, was fined $150 and sentenced to three days in jail, with credit for three days served, for disorderly conduct. She yelled multiple times during an incident over a lost dog in Wellsville on April 2.
Christopher Lee Joy, 41, Avondale Street, East Liverpool, was fined $250 and sentenced to 22 days in jail, with credit for 22 days served, for disorderly conduct amended from domestic violence, with a note on the judgment entry that the alleged victim failed to appear and cooperate with the state. Joy was accused of pushing a man in the shoulder on Feb. 16 in Wellsville.
Competency and sanity evaluations were ordered for Julia Stephanie Jean Scott, 25, Calcutta Smith Ferry Road, East Liverpool, charged with theft for allegedly failing to pay for three items valued at $8.17 at the Calcutta Sheetz on Feb. 18.
Colt A. Heddy, 53, Niles, was fined $150 and sentenced to 21 days in jail, with credit for 21 days served, for disorderly conducted amended from assault. He was accused of striking a woman in the face with a closed fist after first going after her with a knife before throwing the knife in the woods on June 22 in Madison Township.
Diane K. Clarke, 66, North Main Street, Columbiana, was fined $1,065 and sentenced to 90 days in jail for operating a vehicle impaired, with credit for three days served and $500 of the fine suspended for completing a driver intervention program. Her license was suspended for one year, with driving privileges granted.
A motion hearing was set Aug. 26 for Brandy D. Virden, 47, Cleveland Street, Salem, charged with OVI second offense, OVI breath second offense and lighted lights required.
Jessie Frank Hubbard, 44, Midland, Pa., was fined $1,000 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 170 days suspended, leaving 10 days to serve for OVI, no license and open container. Another OVI was dismissed. Hubbard must complete 20 hours community service and his license was suspended for two years.