Most indicted members of militia group are voters
By TOM TROY
BLADE POLITICS WRITER

Most of the indicted militia members accused of being anti-government extremists have active voting records, a check with area voter registration offices showed yesterday.

One is a registered Democrat, and the party affiliations of the rest could not be determined.

Jacob J. Ward, 33, of Huron, Ohio, voted as a Democrat in the 2004 and 2008 primary elections. He also voted in 10 other elections since 2000. Party affiliation in Ohio is determined by which party's ballot they requested in the most recent primary election.

Alleged ringleader David Brian Stone, Sr., 45, of Clayton, Mich., registered in Lenawee County, Michigan, in 1998, and last voted in the 2004 general election.

His, and other Michigan voters' party affiliations, if any, are not public records because of Michigan's open primary elections, officials said.

Mr. Stone's son, David Brian Stone, Jr., 19, of Adrian, Mich., registered to vote in April, 2009.

David Stone, Sr.'s wife, Tina Mae Stone, 44, of Clayton, Mich., registered Dec. 29, 2009. A clerk in the Lenawee County clerk's office said records show that Ms. Stone was previously registered and most recently voted in 2008.

Mr. Stone's other son, Joshua Matthew Stone, 21, of Clayton, Mich., also registered to vote in December, 2009. There is no record of him having voted.

Kristopher T. Sickles, 27, of Sandusky, registered to vote in 2007 but has not voted, according to the Erie County Board of Elections.

Joshua John Clough, 28, of Blissfield, Mich., registered in 2000 and voted in both the primary and general elections of 2008, and in a February, 2010, election.

Michael David Meeks, 40, of Manchester, Mich., registered in 1989, and voted in both the primary and general elections of 2008, according to the Washtenaw County Clerk's Office.

The only one of the accused anti-government extremists with no record of registering to vote is Thomas William Piatek, 46, of Whiting, Ind.

Are all charged in U.S. District Court in Detroit with seditious conspiracy, attempting to use weapons of mass destruction, and two counts of possessing a firearm during a crime of violence.

Contact Tom Troy at:
tomtroy@theblade.com
or 419-724-6058.