Ohio
Ohio polygamist allegedly ordered her husband and 4 lovers to kidnap, torture man for a week in sick revenge plot
An Ohio polygamist, her husband and her four lovers were thrown behind bars after they allegedly kidnapped and tortured a 26-year-old man held captive in a hotel room for a week – in a sick revenge scheme hatched by the group’s twisted matriarch.
Martina Jones, 28; her husband Michael Esqueda, 28; and boyfriends Aaron Bradshaw, 49; Austin Bradshaw, 28; David Cessna, 26; and Chance Johnston, 27, were arrested on March 22 for terrorizing the victim at a Red Roof Inn in Maumee, according to the Toledo Police Department, WTVG reported.
The deranged lovers, who reportedly share multiple children, brutally beat the victim with a metal baseball bat, forced him to stand for extended periods of time, and only allowed him to eat and drink once a day over the seven-day stretch, police said.
The victim, who was also viciously punched and kicked, only slept for a total of 10 hours while he was held against his will, charging documents alleged.
“He was being essentially tortured, assaulted, over the time frame of a week,” Maumee Chief of Police Josh Sprow told the outlet.
“His injuries were results of being struck with a baseball bat, struck with fists, elbows, stomping on him when he was on the ground – which over time resulted in multiple fractured bones.”
Sprow added that Jones ordered her deviant beaus to abduct the victim on March 14 and carry out the nightmarish scheme as retribution following a scuffle at her home, the outlet reported.
The victim told police a dog fight erupted at the crazed woman’s home that resulted in her breaking her arm as the pair tried to stop the brawl. Jones, however, lied and told her unhinged companions that the man crippled her limb, police said.
The tortured man was eventually rescued on March 21 when his captors let him venture to a Speedway convenience store, where he was able to speak with someone who then called his mother, according to police.
“When she was contacted by this literally a stranger – she knew something was up,” Sprow said, adding that the victim’s mother raced to the hotel room and freed her son, whose body was littered with injuries, the outlet reported.
“It’s clearly a strange situation when you have multiple adult men involved in a relationship with a female and then this whole felonious assault, kidnapping taking place. Definitely not something that is normally happening in our city.”
The six suspects were each indicted Thursday for kidnapping, three counts of felonious assault and two counts of tampering with evidence, according to Fox8.
They are each being held on $200,000 bond.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — First News is working to learn more information after officers served a search warrant Friday afternoon for a building at the corner of Market Street and Pasadena Avenue
When we showed up to the scene, we found Animal Charity of Ohio had humane agents there.
We could also hear what sounded like roosters crowing, and eventually we saw humane agents bringing out several chickens and roosters in cages from the property. Authorities said they removed approximately 30 pairs of roosters and hens.
That brought us to a residence on Glenwood Avenue near the corner of Stadium Street.
So far, we aren’t hearing anything, but a number of officers and humane agents seemed to be knocking on the front door, and seemingly no one answered.
They then all moved behind the house, and one was an officer carrying a sledgehammer and a crowbar. So far we haven’t heard or seen any action.
First News will update this story as we learn more.
Nick Rich contributed to this report.
ROSSFORD, Ohio — Smoke from Canadian wildfires forced the cancellation of three community events Thursday, including a multi-day festival, a weekly farmers market and a summer concert series finale.
Organizers of the Rossford Balloon & Fireworks Fest, the Perrysburg Farmers Market and the Whitehouse Summer Concert Series each cited hazardous air quality conditions as the reason for their decisions.
Rossford Balloon & Fireworks Fest canceled
Rossford city officials and the Rossford Convention & Visitors Bureau Board jointly decided Thursday to cancel the Rossford Balloon & Fireworks Fest, which was scheduled to run July 17-19.
The Visitors Bureau’s director Beth Genson said in a statement: “The decision to cancel the 2026 Rossford Balloon & Fireworks Fest was made jointly by City officials and the Rossford Convention & Visitors Bureau Board after careful consideration of the hazardous air quality conditions caused by smoke from the Canadian wildfires. The health and safety of our attendees, volunteers, vendors, performers and staff was our highest priority. We recognize how disappointing this is for our community and visitors, but we believe cancelling the event was the responsible decision under these circumstances.”
Perrysburg farmers market, Whitehouse concert also called off
The Perrysburg Chamber of Commerce canceled Thursday’s farmers market in historic downtown Perrysburg. The chamber’s director of tourism Sally Moore said: “The health and safety of our vendors, customers, volunteers, and staff is our top priority. Based on the current hazardous air quality conditions and the guidance we received, we believe cancellation is the safest course of action.”
In Whitehouse, the final performance of the summer concert series at Whitehouse Village Park was also canceled Thursday out of concern for the safety of concertgoers. A spokesman for the series said organizers are hoping to reschedule the final performance in August or September.
Health experts advise staying indoors
Dr. David Geisinger, a pediatric emergency medicine physician, said residents should limit time outdoors while smoke remains in the area.
“We all need to be extra careful, but the children especially, younger kids, anybody with asthma, chronic lung disease, COPD, bronchitis, they would need to be especially careful,” Geisinger said.
Geisinger added that with current air quality index levels, indoor activities are the safer option.
“With this level of air quality index and the smoke, it’s better to do activities that are inside,” he said.
Smoke from the Canadian wildfires was expected to continue affecting air quality into Friday.
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WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) – A Warren man indicted in June on charges he had inappropriate conduct with a teenager pleaded guilty Thursday in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.
Daniel Procopio, 29, pleaded guilty to one third-degree felony count of attempted illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material or performance.
Howland police arrested Procopio following a report filed by the parent of a teenager who reported Procopio had inappropriate contact with the teen. The investigation by Howland police showed Procopio in February 2026 had asked a 16-year-old female to send nude photos of herself to him, according to Assistant Prosecutor Gabriel Wildman.
The crimes are alleged to have taken place in February and March.
Procopio will be sentenced at a later date.
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