WARREN — Niles Mayor Steven Mientkiewicz’s bid for a permanent civil stalking protection order against former political opponent and city resident George “Geo” Kuriatnyk was denied by Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.

According to a decision signed April 30 by Judge Cynthia Rice and Magistrate Michael Harlan, the court found that Mientkieiwcz “failed to establish that (Kuriatnyk) engaged in a pattern of conduct” as defined by the Ohio Revised Code.

According to court findings, Mientkiewicz presented three incidents of conduct involving Kuriatnyk. All three were at Niles City Council meetings, one in March 2023, one in October 2023 and one in March 2024. Mientkiewicz also presented four witnesses.

“Based upon the frequency that (Kuriatnyk) and (Mientkiewicz) are at the same events, in conjunction with a one-year timeframe, the magistrate finds that three incidents over a one-year period do not establish a ‘pattern of conduct’ as defined by the statute,” the decision stated.

According to the document, Harlan ordered that Mientkiewicz’s request for a full hearing protection order be denied and that the court’s April 3 temporary civil stalking protection order be vacated.

A hearing for the matter took place April 24.

Mientkiewicz was represented by Canton-based attorneys Mel L. Lute Jr. and Kendra L. Barabasch. Kuriatnyk was represented by local attorney Aaron Meikle.

Mientkiewicz took the witness stand first and said in 2023 he noticed Kuriatnyk’s behavior began to “escalate,” and Kuriatnyk became “aggressive” to the point where the mayor said the former mayoral candidate took “menacing stances” against him.

At a March 2023 Niles City Council meeting at Niles Middle School, the mayor said Kuriatnyk posed a physical threat.

Criminal charges of third-degree intimidation and misdemeanor aggravated menacing were filed against Kuriatnyk on April 8, stemming from an incident that occurred at the March 2024 meeting at the Niles Senior Center. That case has since been bound over to Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.

The police report shows charges were filed following the March 20 city council meeting with court documents stating that Kuriatnyk made direct threats to the mayor. According to the report, Kuriatnyk told Mientkiewicz there would be “consequences for his actions” and that Kuriatnyk would “die for his family” and “take people with him” while repeatedly stating that law enforcement wouldn’t be able to stop him.

The incident led to a temporary civil stalking protection order that prohibited Kuriatnyk from being within 500 feet of Mientkiewicz.

Mientkiewicz had the right to object to the decision.

Kuriatnyk frequently addresses council and the administration during public remarks.

He also has run for public office in Niles several times, most recently when he attempted to unseat Mientkiewicz during the 2023 general election.

According to official results, Kuriatnyk received 26% of the vote while Mientkiewicz received 74% of the vote.

Kuriatnyk also received write-in votes for a council at-large seat in 2019, but did not win.

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