EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been clarified to indicate that one threat of harm that was referred to law enforcement involved an unrelated matter, not Niki Frenchko’s civil suit ruling.

WARREN — After receiving approximately two dozen mostly threatening emails and phone calls from people throughout the Mahoning Valley — and across the country — in response to the federal court’s opinion on Commissioner Niki Frenchko’s 2022 lawsuit against Commissioner Mauro Cantalamessa, former Commissioner Frank Fuda, Sheriff Paul Monroe and two sheriff department employees, current commission President Denny Malloy vowed to do everything possible to keep county employees safe.

Malloy said the commissioners and their employees have been receiving sometimes rude and other times physically threatening messages from angry people responding to the recent opinion filed by U.S. District Court Judge Philip Calabrese that the defendants may be held personally responsible for actions taken during the July 2022 arrest of Frenchko.

Malloy discussed the emails and phone calls following the commissioners’ weekly workshop. Because Cantalamessa did not attend this week’s workshop and Frenchko rarely attends, there was no quorum and it did not count as an official meeting.

Frenchko was arrested during the July 7, 2022, commissioners meeting at which she repeatedly attempted to stop the clerk from reading an email sent to the commissioners from Sheriff Paul Monroe. Fuda, who was then the board president, repeatedly asked Frenchko to stop interrupting the clerk as she read.

Two Trumbull County sheriff sergeants, Harold Wix and Robert Ross, walked up to the commissioners’ dais, arrested Frenchko and escorted her from the meeting room.

Frenchko described the arrest as a conspiracy that involved the two commissioners, Monroe and the deputies. Calabrese wrote that a jury in a separate trial should be allowed to decide if there is enough evidence to establish a conspiracy.

Calabrese ruled against Frenchko’s claim that she was assaulted by the sheriff’s sergeants during the arrest. He also ruled against a claim by Frenchko that Monroe illegally took possession of her cellphone during a 2023 commissioners meeting that took place in the planning commission’s office. Monroe knocked down Frenchko’s cellphone before he began to speak.

During Tuesday’s commissioner workshop, Human Resources Director Alexandra DeVengencie Bush and interim commissioner clerk Lisa Denunzio Blair noted the office staff received numerous phone calls and emails from people wanting to express their opinions about the incidents in 2022 and 2023.

“Some will call over and over again, if they do not get the responses they want,” Blair said.

Some of the callers cursed at the people who answered the phone, while others have threatened to physically harm them.

“You are vile, evil, disgusting people in whom there simply is no truth,” one writer identified as Anaya Lynn stated in an email. “You are all America haters and traitors.”

“I’m soooo glad the judge slapped you down like you should have been and I can’t wait until she sues your sorry arse for everything you have,” she continued. “You are just ignorant, fascist bullies and thugs.

“There’s a special place in hell waiting for you all,” she continued. “May you all rot in hell.”

One email writer stated the entire sheriff’s department needs to be retrained in what the U.S. Constitution is all about.

“What a disgrace to see a person expressing freedom of speech arrested by your county sheriff’s department,” one person wrote.

Another writer posted: “This email supports Niki. I hope she sued the hell out of you dumb arses. …Typical Libtards.”

Several emails called for the sheriff and commissioners to resign.

“I am collecting money to back opposition for each of you in your next elections,” one email stated.

Bush described at least one of the missives as being sent by someone not from Ohio and, because of its content, was investigated by the sheriff’s department and outside law enforcement agencies. While it came in around the same time as the others, that particular threat, however, dealt with an unrelated issue involving criminal charges that had been filed against a Warren woman after she miscarried her pregnancy. Those charges were eventually dropped after a Trumbull County grand jury chose not to indict the woman.

Bush told the office staff they do not have to stay on the phone if the callers are using derogatory language or if physical threats are made.

Malloy said staff members should record when the call or calls are received, from what telephone number(s), and whenever possible obtain the callers’ names and contact information.

He added, under this circumstance, the commissioners’ staff should be careful when opening letters and boxes, in case something dangerous slips inside them.