Fraud suspect jailed after being indicted

12/11/2004

After his indictment by a Defiance County grand jury, Defiance authorities this week arrested Chad Staton, accused of falsely filling out voter registration in exchange for drugs.

Mr. Staton, 22, remained in the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio yesterday, charged with 10 counts of false registration and one count of contempt of court, a center spokesman said. A bond hearing and arraignment has been set for 9 a.m. Wednesday in the Defiance County Common Pleas Court.

Mr. Staton allegedly filled out forms with fictitious names for Georgianne Pitts, 41, who was working for the NAACP's National Voter Fund. Pitts was found dead in her home Monday, possibly from a drug overdose, the Toledo police crime log indicated. The Lucas County coroner's office conducted an autopsy Monday, but has not released a cause of death.

False registration is a fifth-degree felony.