Trending
ST. CLAIRSVILLE -- The case of Frank Andrew Yopa came before Belmont County Western Division Judge Eric Costine for a brief hearing Tuesday.
Yopa, 31, of 200 Grandview Ave., Tiltonsville is accused of inducing panic and aggravated menacing for allegedly making videos on SnapChat in which he threatened the lives of Belmont County officials and law enforcement.
Yopa was arrested earlier this month by law enforcement from Jefferson and Belmont counties. When executing the search warrant, detectives seized numerous AR-style weapons, pistols, bolt-action rifles, shotguns, body armor, gas masks and stockpiles of ammunition.
The hearing Tuesday was brief, and Yopa was unable to appear on video since the service was being used by Northern Division Court at the time. Costine noted there has been a pretrial conference. Yopa was arraigned, but bond was not set until Yopa could be evaluated to determine if he poses a danger to himself or others.
"With regards to competency, the court is going to order that District 9 do an evaluation for the defendant's competency to stand trial. I understand that might take some time," Costine said. "Bond at this time is going to remain 'no bond' pending the evaluation."
He set a status hearing for 1:15 p.m. July 11.
Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Vavra said Yopa is awaiting availability of a bed so he can be transported to a facility in Athens, Ohio.
Defense attorney Scott Brown, representing Yopa, said Yopa is still in the general population of the Belmont County Jail. After the hearing, Brown said Yopa would be seen by Appalachian Behavioral Healthcare for evaluation.