Hubbard man ignores deputy's warning to call off wedding

WARREN

Major Thomas Stewart of the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office and Margaret Scott, clerk of courts for Warren Municipal Court, say they don’t believe they’ve seen a bigamy charge filed in Trumbull County in at least 40 years.

That is until Friday, when Michael Wilms, 35, of Hubbard, was booked at the Trumbull County Jail, then released to appear Monday in Warren Municipal Court on the misdemeanor offense.

Stewart, who has been in law enforcement 49 years, said he even tried to warn Wilms that his marriage last Saturday was illegal, but Wilms didn’t return phone calls.

Stewart said he received a phone call from a staff member in the Trumbull County Probate Court on Monday indicating that Wilms and Alison Tucci, 28, also of the Hubbard address, applied for a marriage license in May, but Wilms’ legal wife, Amber Wilms, had called Trumbull County officials to let them know that Michael Wilms was still married to her.

Stewart checked into the matter, contacting Mercer County, Pa. officials and confirming that Michael Wilms and Amber Wilms are still married, and no divorce had ever been filed.

That’s when he called Michael Wilms, but he couldn’t reach him.

On Wednesday, Stewart located Michael Wilms at his house on Gladys Street in Hubbard and Wilms admitted that he knew he was still married to Amber Wilms, that they had been separated since 2007 and “for the several years he had tried to get a divorce.”

But he and his new bride had made plans for their wedding at Chestnut Ridge Church of God for last Saturday, a lot of money had been invested and he “didn’t want to let her down” by not going through with the wedding, Stewart said.

For the complete story, read Saturday's Vindicator or Vindy.com.