Mother, daughter charged with retaliation

Staff report

BOARDMAN

A mother and daughter were in court this week to answer to charges stemming from a January incident in which police said they retaliated against a family member’s girlfriend.

Police say Linda Chuppa, 53, of Edinburg, Pa., sent her son’s girlfriend threatening messages after the girlfriend reported Leslie Williams III for a domestic-violence incident.

According to a police report, Chuppa forced her way into the victim’s home, where her daughter, Vanessa Williams, 27, of Boardman, is accused of attacking the victim. Chuppa then reportedly took the victim’s cellphone and deleted the threatening messages, police said.

Vanessa Williams is charged with assault, aggravated menacing and retaliation. Chuppa is charged with tampering with evidence, disrupting public service and theft. Both were arrested on warrants earlier this week.

No plea was accepted Thursday for Chuppa or Williams in Mahoning County Area Court. Both are set to return to court for another hearing in March.