Stafford had faced two felony counts, one each of illegal voting (Felony-4) and tampering with records (F-3). Those were both dropped and replaced with the “tampering with a ballot” felony.
Stafford had also faced one misdemeanor count of failing to provide notification of a change of address. That was changed to the falsification misdemeanor.
The falsification charge is to “knowingly make a false statement of purpose to mislead a public official,” in this case misrepresenting his address to a poll worker, a prosecutor for the State of Ohio said Friday.
Stafford was charged with voting in Greene County, where he was not “a legally qualified elector,” according to the indictment.
“Mr. Stafford has accepted responsibility for casting a single vote in the polling location that he has voted in for the past 22 years, and that he should have asked, at that point in time, for a provisional ballot,” said Steven Dever, Stafford’s attorney. “He’s accepted responsibility and is prepared to move forward.”
A fifth-degree felony carries potential jail time of between six and 12 months and a fine of up to $2,500, and the misdemeanor charge carries up to six months of potential jail time and up to $1,000 fine. Stafford’s sentencing is not scheduled until April.
Under Ohio law, some fifth-degree felonies (including Stafford’s) fall under the Targeted Community Alternatives to Prison program, in which Stafford may be subject to community control, or probation, instead of jail time.
Stafford was very involved in Bellbrook-Sugarcreek school board and school levy elections in recent years, and was charged with illegal voting and tampering with records related to the November 2022 election.
Stafford also is the plaintiff in an ongoing federal lawsuit against the Sugarcreek Police Department, WHIO-TV, and several other defendants related to a May 2021 incident in which Stafford was cited for aggravated menacing. Those charges against Stafford later were dismissed.
About the Author
