STEUBENVILLE — A Jefferson County grand jury returned indictments against nine people Wednesday, including a Follansbee man who allegedly tried to have sex with a teenage girl, and another who allegedly tried to strangle a female companion then tried to coach her on what she could say to authorities so he wouldn’t be arrested.

Grand jurors ordered Charles E. Shifflett, 1118 Neville St., Follansbee, to stand trial on charges of compelling prostitution and attempting to commit an offense and possessing criminal tools. All are felonies.

Authorities allege Shifflett, 51, answered an ad on Oct. 7 to pay $140 for sex with what he thought was a 15-year-old girl, unaware that he was talking with an undercover agent with the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force.

The indictment alleges he purposely engaged in conduct that, if successful would have resulted in him having unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and that he possessed the cell phone used to communicate with the undercover officer.

Jacob Spenser Ewaskey, 136 West Steubenville St., Bloomingdale, also is facing trial on charges of domestic violence, aggravated assault, strangulation and two counts of assault, all felonies, along with misdemeanor counts of violating a protection order and intimidation, Nov 4.

Authorities allege Ewaskey, 30, beat his female companion and then tried to strangle her on Oct. 10, then called the victim from the county jail to “tell her what to say at grand jury so he doesn’t get in trouble.” He also allegedly kicked first responders trying to get him under control, they said.

Ewaskey had been convicted of domestic assault in Hancock County Magistrate Court in 2021.

Grand jurors also returned indictments against:

• Leroy Darnell Benjamin, 1056 Adams St., Steubenville, felony charges of having weapons under disability, tampering with evidence and possession of cocaine, with specifications seeking forfeiture of $1,635 in cash they found in his possession as well as his gray Taurus.

Authorities allege Benjamin, 37, threw a loaded gun out of a bedroom window when detectives with the Jefferson County Drug Task Force entered his home on Oct. 8, seizing 28 grams of suspected fentanyl and about 19 grams of suspected cocaine, along with $1,635 in cash

• Otis Eugene Allen, 48, 503 McDowell Ave., Steubenville, felonious assault. Allen allegedly punched another man in the nose Oct. 1 in downtown Steubenville, cutting him and sending the man to the hospital for stitches.

• Michael Thomas Vietmeier, 44, 411 N. Seventh St. (lower level), Steubenville, grand theft, a felony, on April 1. Vietmeier allegedly removed 160 stainless steel lids, 30 pieces of aluminum cat walks and other items from the Valley Tank & Weld property on April 1.

• Americus Michael DiMario, 43, 7291 Bay Road SE, Carrollton, aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a felony. An officer who knew DiMario didn’t have a valid driver’s license allegedly spotted him behind the wheel of a moving vehicle in Amsterdam, and when he pulled him over discovered methamphetamine in the car, authorities said.

• Troy Michael Wade, 223 N. Ninth St., Steubenville, trafficking in cocaine, a felony, on Sept. 5. Wade allegedly sold cocaine to an undercover officer, authorities said.

• Terrence L. Toson, 423 N. Seventh St., Steubenville, felony counts of trafficking cocaine Sept. 15 and again on Sept. 7. Toson allegedly sold cocaine to police informants on two occasions, authorities said.

• Morgan Louise Gibson, Rosemount, Minn., illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto grounds of a government facility and aggravated possession of drugs, Aug. 15. Both are felonies.

Gibson allegedly tried to take methamphetamine into the jail, authorities said, despite having been asked numerous times if she had any contraband on her. While she was being booked into the county jail authorities maintain Gibson tried to hide the meth on a ledge when she thought no one was looking.