Ashland County Grand Jury Hands Down January 2026 Indictments
ASHLAND — Ashland County Prosecuting Attorney Christopher R. Tunnell announced the results of the January 2026 session of the Ashland County Grand Jury, which met for one day and returned a total of 19 indictments against 19 individuals.
Of those indictments, 12 felony indictments were publicly released, while seven remain sealed because the individuals have not yet been served as of the date of the announcement. Those indicted have appeared or are scheduled to appear before the Ashland County Court of Common Pleas.
According to Prosecutor Tunnell, the cases stem from investigations conducted by the Ashland Police Department, Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and involve a wide range of alleged criminal activity, including violent offenses, domestic violence, robbery, drug offenses, failure to comply with law enforcement, and homicide.
Notable Indictments Include:
Jaylisa Santana, Ashland — Indicted on two counts of Domestic Violence, both first-degree misdemeanors, stemming from alleged incidents on December 7 and December 8, 2025.
Joshua Wells, Jeromesville — Indicted on Felony Domestic Violence (F-3) and Intimidation (F-3) related to a January 1, 2026 incident. Court records allege multiple prior domestic violence convictions, elevating the charge to a felony.
Connor Herevia, Shelby — Indicted on two counts of Menacing by Stalking (F-4), with specifications alleging trespass and a prior history of violence, related to a pattern of conduct occurring between November and December 2025.
Justin Beasley, Ashland — Indicted on Felony Domestic Violence (F-4), Unlawful Restraint (M-3), and Violating a Protection Order (M-1), with prior convictions cited in the indictment.
Robin Workman, Mansfield — Indicted on Aggravated Possession of Drugs (F-5) involving methamphetamine.
Palar Joia Taji Gray, Mansfield — Indicted on Failure to Comply with an Order or Signal of a Police Officer (F-4), Obstructing Official Business (F-5), and Inducing Panic (F-5), stemming from a December 19, 2025 incident. The indictment includes a vehicle forfeiture specification.
Seth Christie, Marion — Indicted on Robbery (F-3) and Misdemeanor Theft (M-1) related to a December 31, 2025 incident involving merchandise valued at $58.46.
Lekiа Christie, Marion — Indicted on Robbery (F-3) and Misdemeanor Theft (M-1) related to a December 31, 2025 incident involving merchandise valued at $58.46.
Joshua Ricer, Ashland — Indicted on Felony Domestic Violence (F-4), with prior domestic violence convictions cited.
Kara Lisius, Ashland — Indicted on Aggravated Possession of Drugs (F-5) involving methamphetamine.
Robert Palermo, Ashland — Indicted on multiple counts including Aggravated Murder and Murder, all unclassified felonies, in connection with the January 1, 2026 shooting death of John “Lefty” Grehn. The indictment includes multiple firearm and forfeiture specifications involving a Taurus G2C handgun.
Prosecutor Tunnell thanked the grand jurors for their service and the investigating agencies for their continued efforts to protect the community.
He also emphasized that all individuals named in the indictments are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The cases will now proceed through the Ashland County Court of Common Pleas.
