Butler woman poses as wrestler's wife

ANGOLA, Ind. (WANE) - According to our partner in news, The Herald Republican in Angola, a former Butler woman tried to set up housekeeping in a secluded lake community with a fictitious husband this summer. Now she’s facing prison time for her alleged offenses.

Nanette Michelle Stone, 35, was arrested in Idaville, after claiming to be married to a professional wrestler when she attempted to purchase two properties on Pine Canyon Lake.

A warrant was issued for her arrest Sept. 10 after sheriff’s department investigators ascertained she was not married to professional wrestler David Edward Finlay. Finlay, based in Atlanta, said he did not know Stone.

In transactions between Stone and her real estate agent, a male, claiming to be Finlay, would call the agent prior to an appointment and say he had an emergency and could not be present.

Stone allegedly orchestrated two purchase agreements, on June 10 and June 30, between a Fort Wayne-based real estate agent and an Angola agency. On July 8, she wrote a check for $4,383 as a down payment and earnest money toward the purchase of one of the homes. According to court documents, the check was drawn on an account that had been closed in November 2009.

She appeared before Magistrate Randy Coffey Tuesday by videoconferencing equipment from the Steuben County Jail. She pleaded guilty to two Class C felony charges of forgery, each punishable by up to eight years in prison.

Stone waived her right to an attorney, despite Coffey attempting to dissuade her, noting the seriousness of the crime and how an attorney could assist her. She signed a waiver of her appearance for a sentencing hearing on Oct. 8 at 8 a.m. Coffey ordered a presentence investigation and Stone is being detained pending $25,000 bail. She will appear Oct. 8 from the jail and from there could be remanded directly to the Indiana Department of Corrections, depending on Coffey’s ruling.