LISBON β A Salem man is facing 34 charges for his alleged involvement in attempting to procure a teenage prostitute in May and for materials investigators with the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force found in his possession after a search warrant was obtained for his home. The year-old man was one of five men indicted on prostitution-related charges when the Columbiana County Common Pleas Court grand jury met this week.
The grand jury issued 44 indictments, including the following list of 23 open indictments and one superseding indictments. The remaining 20 secret indictments will be released as they are served to the defendants. Anthony Christopher Smith, 23, South Howard Street, Salem, is charged with importuning, a fifth-degree felony; six counts of disseminating matters harmful to juveniles, each a fifth-degree felony; attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, a fifth-degree felony; possessing criminal tools, a fifth-degree felony; 10 counts of pandering obscenities involving a minor or impaired person, each a fourth-degree felony; and 15 counts of illegal use of a minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance, each a fifth-degree felony.
Paul Joseph Schrag, 32, Monaca, Pa. On May 24, Schrag allegedly initiated a conversation with someone he believed to be a year-old girl, sent her an obscene photo of himself and requested she meet him for a sexual encounter on May Bruce J. Crawford, 32, Garrettsville, is charged with compelling prostitution, a third-degree felony; and possessing criminal tools, a fifth-degree felony.
Daniel J. Evans, 44, Jefferson, is charged with compelling prostitution, a third-degree felony; and possessing criminal tools, a fifth-degree felony. Smart allegedly used a phone in order to solicit sexual conduct with a law enforcement officer, who was posing as a child at least 13 years old, but less than 16 years old on June 9.
Edward B. Bailey, 37, Allison Street, East Liverpool, is charged with attempted aggravated arson, a third-degree felony, for allegedly attempting to set a fire on the backporch of an occupied structure at Riley Ave. James V. Wiebe, 51, North Walnut Street, East Palestine, is charged with having weapons while under disability, a third-degree felony; aggravated trafficking in drugs, a third-degree felony; aggravated possession of drugs, a third-degree felony; and two counts of aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony.
