SNOW HILL, MD - Tiffany Knupp has taken an Alford plea after facing 9 counts including embezzlement and theft from the Gavin Knupp Foundation, which she started after the hit-and-run death of her son in 2022.
An Alford plea is taken when a person charged maintains their innocence but acknowledges the evidence against them in court.
The plea deal was agreed to after negotiations between Knupp's attorney Thomas Maronick Jr. and Somerset Interim State's Attorney Wessman Garner.
Garner was specially assigned to the case.
"It was not an easy offer to make, it was not an easy result to obtain but it accomplished our goals and we're very, very happy to have Tiffany Knupp not convicted of anything today," said Maronick Jr.
The Alford plea was not the first option for Maronick Jr. and Knupp, but he said given the evidence against her it was the best they were going to get.
"Obviously we would've loved to have had a complete acquittal of all charges, have the state dismiss the charges, that wasn't in the cards," said Maronick Jr.
Residing Judge Daniel Mumford told the courtroom and present attorney's he believed the Alford plea was appropriate in this case.
"We believe the same which is why we did it," said Maronick Jr.
Following the plea, Judge Mumford sentenced Knupp to 1 year unsupervised probation. Knupp will have to pay $6,500 in restitution to the Gavin Knupp Foundation and must resign from the Foundation within 30 days and remove herself from its bank accounts.
The $6,500 was paid in court on Tuesday morning.
All remaining funds within the Foundation must be donated to charity. Knupp will have no say in which charity is chosen and the decision will be left to the Foundation's remaining board. The Foundation will then be dissolved, per the Court's order.
"Tiffany has largely complied with all the conditions they're asking for," said Maronick Jr. "She stepped down from the foundation, the foundation's going to be dissolved and she has paid the full $6,500 today."
For a full history of the charges against Tiffany Knupp and the events surrounding the case, click here.
