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Common Pleas
NEW CASES
Rebecca L. Warner, Pittsburgh, Pa., and William G. Warner, Allen Drive, Lisbon; dissolution sought.
Amanda Dotson, Rea Drive, Salem, vs. Randolph Dotson Jr., Lake St. Louis, Mo.; divorce sought.
Westlake Services, LLC, doing business as Westlake Financial Services, Los Angeles, Calif., vs. Matthew J. Huseman, North Market Street, East Palestine; collection sought of alleged $15,513 debt.
Mark Seaman, Prospect Street, Salem, vs. Ann Fought, Rootstown, et al.; damages sought for personal injury/insurance claim from 2025 traffic crash.
DOCKET ENTRIES
Lesa Anne Reynolds and Arthur J. Reynolds; dissolution granted.
Leanne P. Headley vs. James A. Headley; divorce granted.
County Treasurer vs. Rusty Acres Real Estate Holdings LLC; delinquent property taxes paid, case dismissed.
Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC vs. Julie L. Carlisle, et al.; case stayed due to bankruptcy filing.
Grand Jury
LISBON -- Two drug defendants were served Monday with secret indictments issued by the Columbiana County Grand Jury.
John E. McCallister, 55, East Sixth Street, Salem, was charged with two counts of aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, for allegedly possessing methamphetamine and oxycodone on Dec. 24, 2025.
Michael Baxter, 44, Weirton, W.Va., was charged with aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, and misdemeanor possession of drugs for allegedly possessing methamphetamine and alprazolam on March 15, 2025.
Municipal
LISBON -- In Columbiana County Municipal Court, a defense motion to dismiss in a sex-for-hire case against Scott Richard Houser, 46, Thomasville, Pa., was granted due to a discovery violation. Houser had been charged with engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools for an alleged sex-for-hire incident on Feb. 26 in East Palestine. Discovery is the providing of evidence in the case and as of late June, the defense still had not received any discovery from the state.
James M. Myers, 42, 13th Street, Wellsville, was fined $500 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 174 days suspended and credit for one day served, leaving five days still to serve for assault. He was also ordered to serve 60 days electronically monitored house arrest, with 40 hours community service ordered. He's to have no contact with the juvenile victim. Myers was accused of shoving the boy backwards and then picking him up and throwing him down during an incident at wrestling practice on Danbury Avenue in Wellsville on Feb. 2.
A pretrial was set Oct. 7 for Andre Pierre Brown, 59, Frederalsburg, Md., charged with engaging in prostitution, possessing criminal tools and open container for allegedly responding to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranging for sexual activity with a woman in exchange for $70, and $80 if it "worked out good," then driving to Unity Township on Aug. 10 for the meeting in a semi with an open container of Land Shark Beer, $100 and the phone used to make the arrangements.
Nicholas H. Frase, 29, old state Route 154, New Waterford, was fined $350 and given a suspended 180-day jail term, with 30 hours community service, for endangering children for abusing a toddler by hitting the child with a wooden spoon on Oct. 29, 2025 in Salem.
Skyler McAfee, 18, Thompson Avenue, East Liverpool, was fined $150 for disorderly conduct amended from domestic violence for punching another man in the side on May 31 in East Liverpool.
Michael D. Tolley, 36, Carrollton, was fined $250 and sentenced to 30 days in jail, with 27 days suspended and credit for three days served for disorderly conduct amended from domestic violence, with 20 hours community service ordered. Tolley was accused of hitting a juvenile in the face on June 12 in Salem.
Savannah Marie Gulu, 18, North Shadylane, East Liverpool, was fined $250 and sentenced to one day in jail, with credit for one day already served, for disorderly conduct for yelling in her apartment and waking up several other residents in the apartment building on May 20 in East Liverpool.
A status conference hearing was set Sept. 15 for Kylie Elizabeth Kreefer, 29, Burrows Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with theft for allegedly failing to scan and pay for 51 items totaling $401.87 at the Calcutta Walmart on July 25.
Nicholas J. Roberts Jr., 45, Newton Falls, was fined $200 and sentenced to three days in jail, with credit for three days served, for theft for stealing two impact drill kits from Salem Tractor Supply on Dec. 15, 2022.
A pretrial was set Oct. 19 for Randy A. Dean Jr., 44, state Route 45, Lisbon, charged with complicity for allegedly providing transportation to suspects involved in a theft offense at Circle K in Lisbon on July 4.
A pretrial was set Oct. 14 for Dario D. Valentini, 45, East Fourth Street, Salem, charged with illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia for allegedly possessing a glass pipe with burnt residue during a traffic stop on Aug. 10 in Salem.
A pretrial was set Sept. 21 for Michael L. Baxter, 44, Weirton, W.Va., charged with possess instruments to ingest for allegedly possessing a small glass pipe contained suspected narcotic residue during a traffic stop on a motorcycle on Aug. 10 in Lisbon.
Tina M. McCoy, 54, Moore Street, East Liverpool, was fined $250 for drug paraphernalia for possessing a torch lighter in a backpack while she was a passenger during a traffic stop on July 28 in Wellsville.
Joseph L. Mercer, 63, Chester Avenue, Wellsville, was fined $500 for drug paraphernalia and driving under suspension for possessing a glass smoking pipe with burnt residue in his vehicle during a traffic stop on July 28 in Wellsville.
A pretrial was set Oct. 6 for John Wesley McCune, 45, Purinton Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with operating a vehicle impaired and OVI refusal with prior within 20 years.
Walter E. Crow Jr., 31, Youngstown, was fined $750 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 170 days suspended, leaving a balance of 10 days still to serve for OVI second offense. Charges of marked lanes and failure to stop after an accident were dismissed. Crow's license was suspended for one year with driving privileges granted and he must complete 20 hours community service.
Travis Neely, 33, Township Line Road, Wellsville, was fined $1,215 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 177 days suspended and credit for three days served in a driver intervention program, with $500 of the fine suspended, for OVI and assured clear distance. His license was suspended for one year, with driving privileges granted.
A pretrial was set Oct. 20 for Alexis Paige Dobritz, 29, West Martin Street, East Palestine, charged with OVI second offense, OVI breath second offense, left of center and open container.
Sadie R. Noling, 33, Park Court, Columbiana, 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 physical control amended from OVI, with a turn signal violation dismissed. She was ordered to complete 20 hours community service and her license was suspended for 180 days.
Brad Dearth, 30, Lowellville, was fined $695 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 87 days suspended and credit for three days served in a driver intervention program, for OVI, failure to control and no seat belt, with 20 hours community service. His license was suspended for one year.
Harry Wrightsman, 73, Sixth Street, Wellsville, was ordered to serve five days in jail for violating the terms of his probation for a 2024 OVI case and a 2025 driving under suspension case.
Preston Matthew Brown, 18, Hammond School Road, Wellsville, was fined $150 for disorderly conduct amended from domestic violence for striking a woman in the face and several times on her left arm on July 28 in Wellsville.
Aaron P Oates, 52, state Route 170, Negley, was fined $300 and sentenced to 30 days in jail, with 27 days suspended and credit for three days served, for disorderly conduct and menacing amended from domestic violence and aggravated menacing, with 25 hours community service ordered. He must stay away from the victim. Oates made a threatening comment as he was looking at a woman and said his pistol was loaded inside his residence in Negley on March 10.
A pretrial was set Aug. 26 for James Lee Spurlock III, 29, Front Street, Negley, charged with aggravated menacing, theft, resisting arrest and criminal trespass for allegedly banging on the window of a Negley residence after driving through the yard, threatening the residents to open the door and saying he had a firearm and was going to pull it out, then he left when they said police were called and stole the swing set out of their yard, putting it on the roof of his vehicle on Aug. 8. He allegedly tried to claim deputies pushed him down the stairs after he purposely fell down them while being taken to cruiser
A pretrial was set Aug. 26 for Mark Donald Knight, 26, East Main Street, East Palestine, charged with violation of a protection order for allegedly being at an East Palestine property where a protected person was on Aug. 8.
Amanda M. Kiger, 53, Center Street, East Liverpool, was fined $250 for disorderly conduct amended from domestic violence, with the charge amended due to the alleged victim refusing to cooperate. She was accused of striking a man in the face with her knee on April 4 in East Liverpool.
Douglas A. Detchon, 46, South Lincoln Avenue, Lisbon, was fined $750 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 89 days suspended and credit for one day served for engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools, with 20 hours community service and an education course ordered. He responded to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranged for sexual activity with a woman in exchange for $100, then traveled to East Palestine on June 10 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.
A pretrial was set Oct. 7 for Courtney R. Kachelries, 35, South Main Street, Columbiana, charged with endangering children for allegedly putting a child at risk by being unaware of the young child's whereabouts after Columbiana police were notified about a toddler running around outside in an alley completely naked on Aug. 8.
James Wesley Sides, 54, Ellwood City, Pa., was fined $750 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 179 days suspended and credit for one day served for engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools, with 30 hours community service and a prostitution prevention course ordered. Sides responded to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and arranged for sexual activity with a woman, requesting a number of very specific actions in exchange for a flat screen TV, vcr/dvd combo, dvds and a case of orange soda, then traveled to Unity Township on June 21 for the meeting with the listed items and the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.
Joshua Matthew Wix, 39, Leavittsburg, was fined $250 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 179 days suspended and credit for one day served for engaging in prostitution, with 20 hours community service and prostitution prevention course ordered. A charge of possessing criminal tools was dismissed. Wix responded to an uncover ad on a known prostitution website and arranged for sexual activity with a woman in exchange for $140, then traveled to Unity Township on Sept. 27, 2025 for the meeting. He was ordered to forfeit $120 to the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force.
Kyle Ryan Hamner, 39, North Jackson, was fined $750 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 177 days suspended and credit for three days served for engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools. Hamner must forfeit $140 to the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force, complete 20 hours community service and a prostitution prevention course. Hamner responded to an uncover ad on a known prostitution website and arranged for sexual activity with a woman in exchange for $140, then traveled to East Palestine on Oct. 3, 2025 for the meeting with the phone used to make the arrangements in his possession.
Sentencing was set Aug. 31 for Linda Kay Cooper, 65, East Fourth Street, East Liverpool, who pleaded no contest and was found guilty of theft for taking a package belonging to someone else on Aug. 3 in East Liverpool, admitting she took the package and saying that everyone does it.
Rachel Jodawn Snyder, 42, Cameron Road, Wellsville, was fined $550 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 86 days suspended and credit for four days served, for resisting arrest and two count of disorderly conduct for throwing items in the lobby of the East Liverpool Police Department, causing a disturbance again after speaking with officers earlier and dispatchers asking for help after calling EMS for her on June 8 in East Liverpool. On June 15 in East Liverpool, she was continuously yelling, swearing and banging on the window, then started to remove her clothing and talking out of her head.
Sandi E. Phillips, 38, state Route 644, Kensington, was fined $150 for disorderly conduct amended from obstructing official business for acting belligerent and argumentative, yelling repeatedly at a man and using foul language towards him on March 22 while deputies were investigating an altercation between two men in Hanover Township.
David L. Todd, 54, Steubenville Pike Road, Lisbon, was fined $250 and sentenced to 30 days in jail for theft for stuffing two 10-packs of Fireball whiskey into his pants on June 1 at Discount Drug Mart in Lisbon. He also must serve 30 days at the same time for violating his probation on a 2024 case for theft.
Norman W. Bender, 52, Aten Avenue, Wellsville, was fined $100 and sentenced to 11 days in jail, with credit for 11 days served, for theft for stealing two bottles of laundry detergent from Dawson Funeral Home in East Liverpool on July 29.
Ariel L. Durham, 37, Duck Creek Road, Salem, was fined $400 and sentenced to 22 days in jail, with credit for 22 days served, for criminal mischief, two counts criminal trespass and disorderly conduct for trespassing on a woman's front porch in Salem, destroying items and refusing to leave on July 15. After her arrest, she was taken to Salem Regional Medical Center after requesting medical attention and was given several warnings for yelling profanity and refusing to stop, grabbing several items off of the wall of the emergency room and throwing them on the ground. She also trespassed at the Foundry on Aug. 1 in Salem after being told just prior to that she wasn't permitted on the property.
Candice L. Desanzo, 46, North Market Street, East Palestine, was fined $500 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 158 days suspended and credit for 15 days served, leaving a balance of seven days still to serve for two counts of endangering children for two separate incidents. Another count of endangering children was dismissed. She must complete 20 hours community service and take a parenting class. One charge stemmed from a 5-year-old non-verbal, autistic child entering another residence after wandering around an East Palestine neighborhood, with Desanzo unaware the child was gone until contacted by police dispatch on June 14. She was also charged for two small children, ages 3 and 5 years old, being outside unattended for at least 30 to 40 minutes on North Market Street in East Palestine on July 17.
James M. Fristik, 37, Enon Valley, was fined $300 for littering for leaving several plastic garbage bags of refuse in the municipal parking lot near the recycling bin in East Palestine, with a package with his name recovered from one of the bags of refuse on May 2.
Jaidin O. Curtis-Tillman, 24, Pittsburgh, Pa., was fined $200 for failure to disclose one's personal information amended from felony obstructing justice, with a charge of obstructing official business dismissed. On Feb. 18 in East Palestine, he was refusing to give the name of the driver of a vehicle involved in an incident with police.
A pretrial was set Oct. 19 for Clyde C. Harris, 65, East High Street, Leetonia, charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly blowing his car horn several times, banging on the front and back door of a residence on Wilson Street in Leetonia while screaming at a woman, causing a disturbance on Aug. 9.