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Common Pleas
NEW CASES
Aaron Simko, Lower Elkton Road, Columbiana, and Margaret Simko, Benton Road, Salem; dissolution sought.
Credit Acceptance Corporation, Southfield, Mich., vs. Raymond McCartney, Y & O Road, Wellsville; collection sought of alleged $11,822 debt.
Absolute Resolutions Investments LLC, Bloomington, Minn., vs. Benjamin Adams, Hammondsville Road, Wellsville; collection sought of alleged $16,119 debt.
Global Lending Services LLC, Greenville, S.C., vs. Michael Williamson, West Seventh Street, Salem; collection sought of alleged $15,566 debt.
DOCKET ENTRIES
Westlake Services, LLC vs. Jason Gardner; case stayed due to bankruptcy filing.
Edward Alan Huffman vs. Renee Lynn Bradley-Huffman; divorce granted.
James C. Justison and Lisa I. Justison; dissolution granted.
Jason Owens and Shannon Owens; dissolution granted.
Sherri Lynn Hicks vs. Earl Dean Hicks; divorce granted.
Grand Jury
LISBON -- Two drug defendants were served Thursday with secret indictments issued by the Columbiana County Grand Jury, including:
-- Tyler L. Shields, 36, Akron, possession of cocaine and aggravated possession of drugs, both fifth-degree felonies, for allegedly possessing cocaine and etizolam on July 3, 2021.
-- Keith Goss Jr., 38, Wood Street, Wellsville, two counts of aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony, with a specification for forfeiture of money from a drug case, for allegedly possessing amphetamine, methamphetamine and $120 on Oct. 15, 2025.
Court News
LISBON -- An East Liverpool man accused of attempting to set fire to an apartment and threatening a woman entered a guilty plea to a lesser charge of attempted aggravated arson, along with three other charges.
Christopher Allen Stevens, 37, Moore Street, pleaded guilty to the third-degree felony charge of attempted aggravated arson, a lesser-included offense of the original second-degree felony charge of aggravated arson, fifth-degree felony obstructing official business and misdemeanors of aggravated menacing and inducing panic. A misdemeanor charge of arson will be dismissed.
Stevens will face sentencing on Nov. 2 in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court.
According to an affidavit filed in county Municipal Court, he made threats to harm a woman and burn the apartment down on April 8, then was in the process of setting fire to the occupied building on Walnut Street, East Liverpool, with two occupied apartments and first responders in the hallway. The affidavit said he was refusing to exit the building and barricaded the door.
Also in Common Pleas Court:
-- Gary F. McCabe, 53, Steubenville Pike Road, Lisbon, decided to forego a trial this week and entered a guilty plea to aggravated assault, a fourth-degree felony (originally a second-degree felony felonious assault), and misdemeanors of assault, aggravated menacing and discharge of a firearm on or near a prohibited premises. A firearm specification will be dismissed. Sentencing was set for Dec. 11. McCabe was accused of attempting to cause physical harm to a woman on June 28 by means of a deadly weapon, a firearm, the indictment said, and fired a shot while she was running toward a home.
-- Steven Wayne Watters II, 48, Elk Avenue, Lisbon, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for two separate indictments, with nine months for failure to stop after an accident, a fifth-degree felony, and six months for fifth-degree felonies of aggravated possession of drugs and possession of drugs. Another charge of possession of drugs for possessing buprenorphine on Nov. 12, 2022 was dismissed by the prosecution. Watters had entered guilty pleas previously to all charges and then filed a motion to withdraw plea on all three case, which was denied in all three cases. Waters possessed methadone and buprenorphine on April 29, 2024 and fled the scene of an accident on May 25, 2024 in Center Township.
-- Nancymarie B. Garwood, 42, Alliance, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine, aggravated possession of drugs, possession of a fentanyl-related compound and possession of drugs, all fifth-degree felonies, with sentencing set for Nov. 16. Garwood possessed methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine and xylazine on March 17, 2025.
-- Corneil W. Haskins, 26, Youngstown, pleaded guilty to burglary, a third-degree felony lesser-included offense from the original second-degree felony charge, with sentencing set for Nov. 9. A misdemeanor obstructing official business charge was dismissed. Haskins was accused of being inside a Fairfield Township property on Crestview Road and fleeing when deputies arrived on Sept. 26, 2025. The affidavit said he only stopped after a successful K-9 apprehension. He and another person were seen inside the property by the victim via house cameras.
-- Joshua Gallimore, 38, East Liverpool Road, Lisbon, pleaded guilty to third-degree felony complicity in the commission of an offense related to illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse into a detention facility and misdemeanor attempted possession of drugs, with sentencing set for Nov. 16. According to the indictment, on Dec. 23, 2025, Gallimore coordinated with another man to drop a package of buprenorphine near the entrance of the Columbiana County Courthouse, then arranged for another person to pick up the package while being transferred from jail to court and then back to jail.
-- Emma R. Weyand, 46, Samuel Street, East Liverpool, pleaded guilty to fourth-degree felony attempted robbery, a lesser-included offense of the original third-degree felony robbery charge, with sentencing set for Nov. 13. A misdemeanor theft charge was dismissed. Weyand attempted to pass all points of sale without rendering payment with a shopping cart full of miscellaneous items valued at $828 at the Salem Walmart on Dec. 20, 2025 and then used the shopping cart to push an employee trying to stop her out of the way, a police affidavit said.
-- Justin A. Gibbs, 39, Cleveland Street, Salem, pleaded guilty to domestic violence, a fourth-degree felony, with sentencing set for Oct. 30. He was accused of striking a woman in the face several times and in the back of her ear on March 25 in Salem.
-- Kelly A. Stoddard, 40, East Eighth Street, East Liverpool, was sentenced to six months in prison for aggravated possession of drugs and possession of a fentanyl-related compound, both fifth-degree felonies, with credit for 60 days served. She possessed methamphetamine and fentanyl on Aug. 7, 2024.
-- Robert J. Douglas, 48, Sophia Street, East Liverpool, pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated possession of drugs, a fourth-degree felony, with a specification for forfeiture of money from a drug case, with sentencing set for Nov. 30. A charge of aggravated trafficking in drugs will be dismissed. Douglas possessed methamphetamine and $303 on Sept. 25, 2025.
-- Isaac L. Lemasters Jr., 56, Water Street, Salineville, was sentenced to six months in prison for violating the terms of his probation for permitting drug abuse and drug paraphernalia, with credit for 26 days served. The prison term was ordered served at the same time as any sentence in Carroll County. He permitted a vehicle or other property to be used for felony drug abuse and possessed drug paraphernalia on May 22, 2021.
Municipal
LISBON -- In Columbiana County Municipal Court, a preliminary/pretrial hearing was set Sept. 30 for Scott Eric Kopras, 34, Bradshaw Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with third-degree felony strangulation and misdemeanors of assault and unlawful restraint for allegedly assaulting a woman and strangling her in East Liverpool on Sept. 22.
According to the police affidavit, the woman was in the parking lot of East Liverpool City Hospital and afraid to go inside after the defendant allegedly slapped her in the eye and started punching her with his fist, then grabbed her by the throat and began to strangle her. She said she couldn't breathe as she begged him to stop, he let her go briefly and then started punching her in the head until she was covered in blood, the affidavit said.
The document also said he told her he didn't trust her to leave and she felt that she was not allowed to leave.
His bond was set at $150,000 cash or surety and he was ordered to have no contact with the victim and possess no weapons or firearms.
Michael L. Bess, 43, Pittsburgh, Pa., was fined $500 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 87 days suspended and credit for one day served, leaving two days still to serve in jail for obstructing official business amended from endangering children. He was ordered to have no in-person contact with the juvenile victim, but can attend sporting events and have electronic communications, but with no discussions regarding football. He was accused of creating a risk of health or safety to a juvenile by injecting him with performance-enhancing hormones or steroids with a hypodermic needle over a six-week period, with the last dose April 17, 2025, in East Liverpool, according to the police affidavit.
A pretrial was set Nov. 16 for David James Reeves, 50, Wilbert Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with theft for allegedly concealing two items in his pocket and leaving without paying for the items valued at $81 from the Calcutta Walmart on Aug. 25.
A pretrial was set Nov. 18 for Joseph Hunter Brooks, 18, Homeworth Road, Alliance, charged with operating a vehicle impaired and reasonable control.
A pretrial was set Nov. 18 for Carl Elwood Paugh, 61, Staunton Avenue, East Liverpool, charged with OVI and left of center.
A pretrial was set Nov. 17 for Joseph Bauer, 39, state Route 45, Lisbon, charged with OVI and driving under suspension.
A pretrial was set Nov. 18 for Eli D. Shreeve, 53, Y Camp Road, Lisbon, charged with OVI, OVI breath and speeding.