HIV-status case bound over to grand jury

HIV-status case bound over to grand jury

GIRARD

The case of a woman accused by police of not disclosing her HIV status to a sexual partner has been bound over to a Trumbull County grand jury.

Hubbard police charged Lisa Mutter, 41, with felonious assault this year after a Hubbard man told officers he had unprotected sex with Mutter in 2015 and 2016, but was not aware she was purportedly HIV-positive.

A Girard judge Thursday determined there was probable cause to determine a crime had been committed and agreed to send the case to the grand jury. Mutter’s bond is set at $7,500. Her attorney, Fred Rafidi, assigned through Girard Municipal Court, declined to comment.

Mutter is facing similar charges in Columbiana County after authorities there said she failed to disclose her HIV status to a sexual partner in Lisbon. The Hubbard man contacted police after seeing news reports about that case.

Found in stolen truck

AUSTINTOWN

Township police found a man and woman in a stolen truck and in possession of an illegal firearm Wednesday, according to a report.

An officer found Heather Bailey, 30, who is homeless, and Brandon Billingsley, 34, of Steubenville, sleeping in a truck on Oakwood Avenue. The truck had been reported stolen in Dennison, Ohio. The bed contained tools and goods that had been reported stolen from Centofanti Construction and Specialty Switch in Boardman.

Bailey told police she was going to Austintown to pawn the stolen property. While arresting Bailey, police purportedly found a handgun with the serial number removed. Bailey told police she stole the handgun from a Jeep in Weirton, W.Va.

Bailey was charged with two counts of receiving stolen property, improper handling of a firearm and possession of a defaced firearm. Billingsley was charged with receiving stolen property and improper handling of a firearm.

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