DELAWARE, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—Being an attorney requires more than just knowing the law. It demands a strong moral compass, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to a code of ethics. When serious ethics allegations were made against local attorney Adam Stone by a grieving family, Crawford County Now couldn’t ignore the alleged injustice.
Nearly nine years after the tragic loss of their son, 31-year-old Brandon, parents Dan and Mindy Straker, along with their daughter Brooke, witnessed the sentencing of their personal attorney, Adam Stone. On Tuesday, Stone was taken into custody to begin a 54-month prison sentence for telecommunications fraud and impersonating an officer.
For the Straker family, this outcome offers little comfort after the theft, lies, manipulation, and heartbreak they endured. According to victim impact statements, Stone’s own staff and mother aided him in his actions. Documents and recordings obtained by Crawford County Now reveal that Stone even coerced his young child into lying for him.
The pain and heartbreak in the Strakers’ victim impact statements are palpable. With their permission, their impact statements have been attached.
As their daughter so eloquently expressed in her impact statement to the court:
“Our family lived under this nightmare for six long years. Holidays were ruined, filled not with remembrance of Brandon but with anxiety over fake deadlines and fabricated court updates. Marriages were strained under the constant stress. Arguments, tears, and sleepless nights replaced any opportunity to heal. We lived in fear, in tension, in constant uncertainty — while he laughed at our pain and built his lies deeper.”
It’s hard to conceive how an attorney can be so cold, but he was.
Navigating the loss of a child is unimaginable under any circumstance.
But to add to the pain, if possible, comes the heavy burden of believing your child died under suspicious circumstances. Add to that the belief that law enforcement had let your family down. As parents, the pursuit of truth never ends.
Brandon’s father, Dan Straker, told the court:
“Does he know what it feels like to have a child killed under suspicious circumstances then seek help from a so called professional only to learn that is was all a FRAUD==Of course he doesn’t, he used the same system that was designed for TRUTH and JUSTICE to deceive grieving parents, siblings and friends for his own gain, feed his ego or whatever reason he has. This was such an intricate web of lies as he involved his mother/Office Manager, having her sit in on some of the meetings to support his lie, and send us text messages supporting a so-called murder warrant that never happened. His Office Staff all did the same thing, and not one of them had the decency or morals to let us know, says a lot about their CHARACTER. I am sure his Father is proud of him. Knowing that we just lost our Son, Brandon, they would concoct their story and then return to their homes with their children as if nothing ever happened FOR 6 YRS.”
Stone continued to run with his story until Brandon’s mother, Mindy, finally put an end to it.
An exhausted Straker begged Stone “to just tell her the truth”. Stone chose to double down and became infuriated with her, pounding his fists at the notion of her giving this case to another attorney after all his hard work.
The Strakers also discovered that Stone lied about rescheduling a visitation hearing concerning their grandson. They later found out that Stone voluntarily signed away their visitation rights and took even more money from them to keep pursuing those rights.
Brandon’s mother, Mindi Straker, told the court:
“STONE stole 6 years of our life with his malicious intent to deceive us!
Stone emotionally tortured us – making us sit through meeting after meeting, reliving the events of Brandon’s death.
And all that time he was playing a control GAME! A game! A game that his Office Manager, Sandy Stone, who is his mother & office staff played along with him. Not only tortured us with this 6-year demonic game, but he also tortured Brooke, our daughter, and the rest of our family. My sister, Crystal, was one of my biggest supporters. Shortly after finding out that the last 6 years were all LIES, she had a stroke and passed away. Stone and his Mom (Sandy Stone), with the rest of his law firm, caused so much torture and damage that it cannot be repaired. Stone intentionally ran out the wrongful death suit, making sure we would NOT be able to prove Brandon’s death case in the lower courts. Brandon did not deserve this!”
To read the victim impact statements in their entirety and listen to the recorded phone call, click the link below.
