Stacy Simmons Sentenced to 60 Days in Jail in Grand Theft and Forgery Case
ASHLAND — An Ashland County woman who admitted taking more than $20,000 belonging to her adopted daughter was sentenced Friday to 60 days in the Ashland County Jail and two years of probation.
Stacy Lee Simmons, 49, appeared by video Friday, Aug. 28, before Ashland County Common Pleas Court Judge David R. Stimpert. Simmons previously pleaded guilty on July 20 to grand theft and forgery, both fourth-degree felonies.
Stimpert sentenced Simmons to 60 days in jail on each count, with the sentences to be served concurrently. She received credit for four days already served, leaving 56 days remaining.
Simmons must also serve two years under the supervision of the Ashland County Adult Probation Department and pay $20,893.77 in restitution to Ashley Simmons. The court imposed a $250 fine on each count, court costs and a $50 monthly probation supervision fee.
Case Involved Money Intended for Adopted Daughter
According to the original indictment, the case involved $20,893.77 belonging to Simmons, Stacy Simmons’ biological niece and adopted daughter.
Prosecutors alleged that between Oct. 4, 2019, and Dec. 14, 2023, Stacy Simmons knowingly obtained or controlled the money without Ashley Simmons’ consent.
The forgery charge alleged that on April 22, 2024, Simmons forged Ashley Simmons’ name on a document titled “Verification of Receipt of Fund by Minor.”
Simmons was originally indicted on grand theft, telecommunications fraud and forgery. She pleaded not guilty during her December 2025 arraignment before later pleading guilty to grand theft and forgery.
A July 16 court order established the restitution amount at $20,893.77.
Defense Cites Restitution and Lack of Criminal Record
Defense attorney Norman Russell Miller Jr. told the court that Simmons had accepted responsibility and arranged for restitution to be made early in the case.
“Stacy has taken full responsibility for the mistakes that she made,” Miller said. “She understands that she made some really big mistakes on how she handled that account.”
Simmons apologized during the hearing and described her actions as bad decision-making.
“I am sorry for my bad decision-making,” Simmons told the court. “It is shameful for what I’ve done.”
Simmons said she attempted to make the situation right and delivered the restitution money to an attorney’s office after being released from jail. She also spoke about her work helping people with developmental disabilities and her past involvement with church and community programs.
“I did make that decision that was wrong, and I admit that,” Simmons said.
She asked Stimpert to consider that she still had two school-age sons living at home.
Victim Says Harm Went Beyond Financial Loss
Ashley Simmons participated remotely but had a written victim-impact statement read aloud by a victim-assistance representative.
Ashley described herself as Simmons’ biological niece and adopted daughter and said the case involved more than stolen money. Her statement included allegations of longstanding abuse by Stacy and Mike Simmons.
“To everyone, this is just about stolen money, but to me, it goes way deeper than that,” Ashley said in the statement.
Those additional allegations were not charges before the court, a distinction Stimpert expressly noted during sentencing.
“The court isn’t sentencing you for anything else,” Stimpert said. However, the judge said the statement helped illustrate the effect the financial offenses had on the victim.
Ashley said she left the Simmons home when she turned 18 and later began trying to determine what happened to her money.
“She’s not the victim in this. I am,” Ashley said in her statement. “I am making something of myself, and I am the happiest I have ever been in my life.”
Judge Weighs Mitigating and Aggravating Factors
Stimpert said Simmons had several mitigating factors, including no prior criminal record, no previous felony convictions, no prison history, continued employment and substantial support from family and friends.
The judge also recognized Simmons’ early payment of restitution as a significant effort to make the victim financially whole.
However, Stimpert said the case included serious aggravating factors. The money belonged to Simmons’ adopted daughter and was intended for the daughter’s benefit when she reached adulthood, the judge said.
“You were in a position of trust, which did enable this offense,” Stimpert told Simmons.
Stimpert also described the submission of the forged paperwork as “very troubling” and said the conduct was not accidental but continued over a period of time.
The judge said Simmons reportedly told an investigating detective that she withheld the money because she believed she was owed compensation for difficulties associated with raising the child.
“That rationale is especially disturbing,” Stimpert said. “That’s not how parenting works, and those funds belonged to the victim.”
While Ohio law required the court to impose community control rather than a state prison sentence under the circumstances, Stimpert said probation without incarceration would not adequately reflect the seriousness of the offenses.
Request for House Arrest Denied
After the sentence was announced, Simmons asked whether she could serve the jail portion on house arrest so she could remain home with her sons during the school year.
Stimpert denied the request.
“I think that the seriousness of this offense merits an actual jail sentence,” the judge said.
Simmons was remanded to the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office to serve the remainder of her sentence.
If she violates probation, Simmons could face six to 18 months in prison on each count. The judge reserved the right to determine whether any future prison terms would be served concurrently or consecutively.
Before the criminal case, Mike and Stacy Simmons were featured publicly in August 2025 after advancing as semifinalists in the America’s Favorite Couple competition. At the time, the couple spoke about their 23-year marriage, seven children and their decision to adopt four siblings in 2014.
The sentencing judgment was filed Friday with the Ashland County Clerk of Courts.
