His head bowed, Tom Stalf took notes throughout the verbal lashing by the prosecutor and a spokeswoman from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
Shortly after, Delaware County Common Pleas Court Judge David Gormley sentenced the zoo’s former CEO to seven years in prison on the most serious charges: aggravated theft and conspiracy, both second-degree felonies. He will be eligible for early release in about five years.
The punishment for the other 13 charges of tampering with records and telecommunications fraud would run with his sentence.
Daniel Kasaris, Ohio Attorney General special prosecutor, said Stalf’s actions between 2011 and 2021 were “motivated by greed and ego.”
Nicolle Gómez Racey, the zoo spokeswoman, called the $2.3 million criminal enterprise “calculated and premeditated thievery” that left “a profound trail of mistrust.”
Stalf expressed no emotion and showed no tears or halted speech. He told the judge: “I take full responsibility of my criminal actions, and I want to apologize to the community, to the courts and especially to my family.”
Stalf, 56, a resident of Ostrander, just north of the zoo in Liberty Township in southern Delaware County, has three children, 11, 19 and 22, at least two of whom appeared to be the only people seated behind him in a show of support.
In addition to prison, Stalf was ordered to pay $315,573. His former employer, Germain Honda of Dublin, has already paid $400,000 on his behalf.
Stalf’s attorney, Mark Collins, asked that his sentence be similar to Greg Bell’s. Gormley sentenced Bell, the zoo’s former CFO, earlier this year to three years in prison.
Collins previously called Stalf Jack Hanna’s right-hand man who saved The Wilds and stabilized zoo finances, even as he stole from the organization. Hanna retired several years ago and is living on a ranch in Montana.
Collins said that Stalf had admitted to much of the misconduct but that the permissive culture at the zoo allowed it. Collins said that a barter system of exchanging zoo tickets for cash value to be used for zoo expenses, housing perks and other benefits began long before Stalf was hired in 2010.
“That was the culture of the zoo before he got there.”
But Collins also conceded that his client “was selfish and greedy and perpetuated it. He should have stopped it and didn’t.”
After the hearing, Collins said he expected a sentence less than five years, “but the judge did what he thought was reasonable.”
Asked about Stalf’s seeming lack of remorse, Collins said that people express regret differently.
“He’s disappointed in himself,” Collins said, noting that Stalf is committed to making restitution payments. “He’s embarrassed. He’s humiliated. He brought it upon himself. That’s why he’s kind of withdrawn and he knows he’s going to prison.”
Ron O’Brien, former Franklin County Prosecutor, who spent a career prosecuting such criminals, assisted in Stalf’s defense. O’Brien said after the sentencing that Stalf agreed to pay more restitution that he was obligated to. “He did that because he wanted to take full responsibility.”
The last of five zoo employees, former zoo marketing director Peter Fingerhut, will be sentenced Oct. 28.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Former Columbus Zoo CEO Tom Stalf lands prison sentence for theft scandal
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