Attorney Baldwin Defends Client Against Kidnapping Accusations
Attorney Andrew Baldwin of The Criminal Defense Team is proud to have obtained a successful result for his client in a recent high-profile case. Thanks to Attorney Baldwin’s efforts, Craig Stumpf of Greenwood has had all charges against him dropped by prosecutors, allowing him to begin trying to set his life back in order. The decision came none too soon, as Stumpf was in the middle of adoption proceedings and other issues at the time of the wrongful charges.
The False Charges
The incident initially began back in March when Cori Wood, Stumpf’s ex-wife, called the police and accused Stumpf of breaking into her apartment and kidnapping her niece Remington, who was living with her at the time. Stumpf, who was entirely unaware of these accusations, was in his home with his own daughter as well as Remington when authorities arrived to arrest him.
Stumpf spent several days in jail, which resulted in him missing both work and his scheduled guardianship hearing for Remington, whom he had been trying to adopt. He was fired from his job and his guardianship case took a serious hit by his missing the appointment in which both he and Cori Wood were scheduled to appear. Stumpf knew circumstances were suspicious.
Supporting Evidence
Attorney Baldwin told WRTV “She set him up. She called him and said, ‘Hey, why don’t you spend some time with the girl?’ She did this so that he would go to jail the day right before the guardianship hearing to improve her position.”
Attorney Baldwin was able to gather evidence in support of Stumpf’s innocence. First, he obtained a surveillance video recording showing that Stumpf and Wood had amicably exchanged custody of Remington at approximately 6:30pm that evening. GPS data from Sumpf’s truck verified not only his presence at that McDonalds, but that he never traveled anywhere near Wood’s home on the other side of the city.
Ashley Adams, Cori Wood’s sister, gave a deposition under oath which also stated that she knew Wood’s testimony was dishonest and had malicious intent. Attorney Baldwin stated “The sister even felt badly. She said, I don’t want to get my sister in trouble, but this is what the truth is. I mean, we knew before then, but that crystallized it pretty clearly.”
Five days after the deposition, prosecutors filed a motion to dismiss the charges. It remains unknown whether or not the prosecution will pursue false reporting charges against Cori Wood.
Are you facing criminal accusations? You cannot afford to go without the assistance of an accomplished and experienced Noblesville criminal defense lawyer. The Criminal Defense Team is dedicated to helping you seek the justice you deserve through aggressive and relentless criminal defense. We proudly employ the only two attorneys in the entire state of Indiana to be named a Board Certified Criminal Law Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Let us assist you through your case and be a valuable ally to your cause throughout your proceedings.