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Jefferson County grand jury indicts 19

By LINDA HARRIS 5 min read

STEUBENVILLE -- An 18-year-old Hammondsville man is facing seven child pornography charges, one of 13 people indicted Wednesday by the May term of the Jefferson County grand jury.

Also ordered to stand trial were a woman who allegedly did a U-turn so she could run over a woman in the south end of Steubenville; a Bergholz man who allegedly bit a woman's face and tried to strangle her; a woman working for an accoutant who added herself to the payroll of three small businesses, bilking the owners out of more than $50,000; and a 19-year-old woman who allegedly kicked an officer trying to break up a street fight involving multiple women.

Grand jurors returned a seven-count true bill charging Isaih Samuel Crowe, 15758 State Route 213, Hammondsville, with seven felony counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person.

The indictment charges Crowe, 18, with one count of creating, reproducing or publishing "obscene material" involving a minor, and six counts of promoting or advertising the pornographic material for sale or dissemination on Feb. 22.

Federal investigators allegedly tracked an IP address used to spread the pornographic material to Crowe, who authorities say has a prior conviction for a child pornography offense.

Grand jurors also returned a three-count felony indictment against Lincoln Joseph Peacock, 25, 437 Fourth St., Bergholz, charged with domestic violence, strangulation and felonious assault.

Authorities allege Peacock, who has a history of domestic violence, beat his "significant other" on March 10, bit her face "above and below her lip" and tried to strangle the woman, who told investigators she thinks she lost consciousness at one point.

Also indicted:

• Semira M. Pame, 1110 Lincoln Ave., Apt. C, Steubenville, felonious assault, Feb. 9.

According to the indictment, Pame, 20, knowingly caused or attempted to cause physical harm to a Steubenville resident on Feb. 9.

Pame, 20, is facing trial on allegations she ran over another woman in the south end of Steubenville on Feb. 6.

Authorities said video surveillance captured images of Pame doing a U-turn when she saw the other woman, then "veering off the road to run (the victim) over, then pulling back onto the road" to leave.

• Lavinda Wilson, 4210 Pecan Road, Amsterdam, two felony counts of grand theft.

The 57-year-old Wilson allegedly defrauded three small businesses -- Halo Salon & Spa, Hollywood Family Eye Care and Faith Ranch and Farm -- out of nearly $53,308 between November 2019 and March 2024.

Authorities allege Wilson, who worked for a local CPA firm, added herself to the payroll of all three firms without the owners' knowledge. The scheme unraveled after Wilson went on vacation and the person covering her job in her absence discovered the alleged fraud, they said.

• Ojania Alexander, 19, 389 Terri Ave., Steubenville, assault, a felony, and misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

The charges stem from a reported street fight March 15 on Hill Avenue at South Street in Steubenville.

Authorities had reported finding a "large group" involved in the disturbance and claimed Alexander and another female were "actively fighting" when police arrived. Alexander reportedly locked herself in a car when the responding officer's attention was diverted from handcuffing her to protecting another woman who was being attacked and after the car's owner unlocked the vehicle, police allege Alexander "actively resisted their efforts to get her out of the car" and, in the process, kicked a detective in the arm.

The indictment charges Alexander "knowingly caused or attempted to cause physical harm" to the police officer and "persisted in the disorderly conduct" despite being warned to stop fighting.

• Sol Rose III, 56, 414 N. Sixth St., Apt. 2, Steubenville, felonious assault, March 21.

Rose allegedly used what a witness described as "an ice pick" to stab a man following a disagreement at a residence in the 400 block of North Seventh Street on March 21. Police had reported the victim was on the porch, bleeding from his hand and shoulder when they arrived.

• Dashawn Eugene Mims, 28, Columbus, assault, a felony, plus a misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest.

Authorities allege Mims, 28, assaulted a Steubenville police officer on March 10.

The indictment charges Mims with resisting efforts to take him into custody and that he "caused or attempted to cause" physical harm to the female officer.

• Brandon William Orris, 32, 307 Spring St., Toronto, two counts of theft from a person in a protected class.

Orris, 32, allegedly stole $1,800 and credit cards from an 86-year-old man.

• Sean Christopher Cassels, 36, 348 Orchard Place, Wintersville, misuse of credit cards, theft from a person in a protected class and grand theft, all felonies.

Authorities allege Cassell opened a credit card using the name and information of an 86-year-old family member, a Vietnam veteran, and ran up more than $20,000 in debt over a three-month period beginning in November.

• Donald Eugene Seitz III, 50, 411 Prospect St., Brilliant, failure to register as a sex offender, a felony.

The indictment alleges Seitz, convicted of second-degree criminal sexual conduct in Wayne County, Mich,. in 2006, failed to register his address with authorities in February.

• Elizabeth A. Schneider, 58, 725 Wood St., Wellsville, possession of cocaine and aggravated possession of drugs, both felonies.

An Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper allegedly found cocaine and methamphetamine in Schneider's car when she was pulled over for speeding Feb. 1.

• Tyler James Pesta, 28, 631 Lincoln Ave., Steubenville, felony charges of aggravated possession of drugs and having weapons while under disability.

The Jefferson County Drug Task Force, assisted by the Jefferson County Special Response Team and Steubenville Police Department, took Pesta into custody Feb. 22 after allegedly finding methamphetamine in an apartment they'd searched in the 2600 block of Sunset Boulevard. In addition to drugs, authorities reported Pesta had a 9 mm handgun in his possession despite being prohibited from owning or using guns due to a 2022 conviction for aggravated assault.

• Jurors also amended an indictment originally returned in December against Jacob Paul Butto, 103 Ravine St., Mingo Junction, to more accurately reflect the quantities of the drugs allegedly found in his possession -- methamphetamine mixed with fentanyl, gabapentin, and buprenorphine.

Butto, 41, is facing trial on a felony charge of aggravated possession of drugs and two misdemeanor counts of possessing drugs on Oct. 19.

Starting at /week.