BUCYRUS — Bucyrus Attorney Adam Stone testified Thursday in Crawford County Common Pleas Court about the timeline of his representation of Jason Tupps.
Stone testified that he was first brought into the case on the day of Tupps’ arrest, July 8, 2018. He testified that it was upon his advice that Tupps refused sobriety tests.
Stone explained that in his work he is a “control freak”. All retainers and fees come through a trust account held in his office with fees being paid after various tasks are completed and invoices are presented.
Stone said he was prepared to go to trial on December 12, 2019 before he became aware of the plan between Brittany Miller and Megan Futchi to discredit Galion Police officers. Stone said at that time only Miller was on his list of possible witnesses because she had much information on Galion Police.
Futchi was never to be a witness in the trial. When Stone learned of the money exchange between Tupps and Futchi he reported the crime immediately to the appropriate authorities and became a cooperating witness. He removed himself from the case and was replaced by James Mayer III and Sean Boone, both Mansfield attorneys. Tupps was acquitted of all charges except falsification by a jury on Friday evening.
According to Stone, he met Futchi in 2012 when she was working an animation and re-creation booth at a convention he was attending in Cleveland. He took her card and used her company on a few cases.
In April 2019, Tupps hired Futchi (who then had her own consulting company) to do an accident re-creation animation for the trial. Futchi was paid a $5000 retainer through Stone’s office. Her job was to go to the scene and re-create the accident that led to Abbey Dickman being held at gunpoint. Stone testified that Futchi never met with Tupps outside his presence.
Stone said he and Tupps were very unsatisfied with the product Futchi produced and she was removed from the case. Stone had a meeting with his staff and informed all involved that Futchi would no longer be on the case.
Stone then outlined his personal relationship with both Miller and Futchi.
Stone has a four-year-old son with Miller. Stone said they had worked out shared custody and support issues. According to Stone, he started dating Futchi in the summer of 2019 after she was off the Tupps case. At that time Miller and Futchi did not know about each other.
When Futchi testified, as was reported on Crawford County Now, she said she and Stone had been having relations off and on since 2017.
During the summer they dated, Stone said he took his son to Cleveland to see Futchi. His son returned home and told his mother about Futchi and that he was having a baby brother. Futchi testified that she and Miller connected on Instagram.
Stone admitted to giving Futchi money because she was pregnant, and he knew the child was most likely his child. He paid $1800 a month in rents and purchased other items for her. He told her he could not help her in November 2019, and he contended that is when she decided to insert herself back into the case.
Stone said he received an e-mail from Futchi saying she had met with Tupps and his parents and was back on the case. She told Stone she was going to dig up dirt on the police officers.
“I’m excited! Thoughts? Don’t rain on my parade,” Futchi wrote.
Stone said he was nervous and taken aback. He told Futchi that he would not be a part of the scheme and he was prepared to go to trial. He explained to her the rules of ethics and ethics in dealing with the media. Stone said he got on speaker phone with Tupps, his wife and his parents and said he made it clear he could not stop the meeting but not to give Futchi any money.
Futchi testified that she and Miller had discussed the meeting. Futchi said Miller told her she knew the entire police department in Galion and had “slept with 98% of them”.
Stone learned the next day from Tupps that his Tupps’ parents had paid Futchi $4000. Stone told him to get the money back immediately. Tupps told Stone that Miller was present as well. Futchi told Tupps that Stone knew about the plan and supported it. Futchi told Tupps she would “handle” Stone.
Bureau of Criminal Investigation Special Agent, Chris Hamburg of Bowling Green testified on Friday about investigating the bribery portion of the charges against Futchi and Miller.
Hamburg said that during the investigation, Stone provided documents and cooperated. He testified that he did not believe Stone knew of or was involved in the plan by Futchi.
Hamburg presented a flow chart featuring pictures of Stone, Tupps, Miller and Futchi. The flow chart reveals phone calls between Futchi and Miller as well as calls between Tupps and Futchi. Hamburg called Futchi the “Puppet Master” in the plan.
In the calls, the money exchange was confirmed, and Hamburg said Stone was not involved. The money Futchi received was not taken through Stone’s firm and placed in an account for withdraw against invoices.
Hamburg presented evidence of text screen shots where Stone told her on November 6, 2019 to return the $4000 immediately.
Futchi pleaded guilty to bribery and theft from the elderly. As part of her plea negotiation, Futchi must repay the Tupps $4000 and had to testify in the case.
Miller refused a plea deal and is scheduled for trial on the same charges. If convicted, she could spend up to three years in prison. Miller is represented by attorney Joel Spitzer.