Election Fraud Cases

Devin King was charged by the state with one count of criminal use of personal identification information after fraudulently adding voters’ names and signatures to constitutional amendment ballot petitions. State election officials discovered that King had submitted over 500 forms and contacted law enforcement because the signatures of numerous voters did not match their signatures on file, personal information of voters was wrong, and forms that normally arrived worn looked “pristine.” Officials contacted 10 of the individuals who had supposedly signed the ballot petition forms, all of whom confirmed they had not signed the petitions, nor were they aware that their personal information was being listed on the ballot petition form. Another 10 individuals were deceased. King pleaded guilty to the felony charge and was sentenced to 1 year in prison with credit served for 5 days and fined $1,519 in court costs and fines.

Source: https://herit.ag/3ZoXo1y , https://herit.ag/3GsGG8N , https://herit.ag/3k4AQTH

Jordan Daniels was charged by the state with one felony count of criminal use of personal identification information after fraudulently adding voters’ names and signatures to constitutional amendment ballot petitions. State election officials discovered that Daniels had submitted over 50 forms and contacted law enforcement because the signatures of numerous voters did not match their signatures on file, personal information of voters was wrong, and forms that normally arrived worn looked “pristine.”. Officials contacted 10 of the individuals who had supposedly signed the ballot petition forms, all of whom confirmed they had not signed the petitions, nor were they aware that their personal information was being listed on the ballot petition form. Another 10 individuals were deceased. Daniels pleaded guilty to the felony charge and was sentenced to 10 months in jail, 14 months of probation, 100 hours of community service, $40 per month in supervision costs, and fined $1,669 in court costs and fines.

Source: https://herit.ag/3XiQOI3 , https://herit.ag/3k38pW7 , https://herit.ag/3ZtMjw7 , https://herit.ag/3k1t7Wq

Rasheen Crews was charged by the state in Philadelphia County with two felony counts of criminal solicitation to commit forgery and theft by failure to make a required disposition of funds received after engaging in a ballot petition signature scheme. Crews, a political consultant in Philadelphia, perpetrated a ballot petition fraud scheme to get his clients listed on the ballot for the May 2019 Democratic primary races. Crews and his employees, acting at his direction, forged thousands of signatures in an effort to obtain the required number of legal signatures needed for his clients to be listed on the ballot. In addition to forging signatures by hand, over 1,000 signatures were photocopied rather than hand-written. Crews pleaded guilty to the two felony counts, was sentenced to 5 years of probation, assessed fines and fees of $761.25, and barred from participating in political campaigns during his probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/49L7bUU , https://herit.ag/46pxHjM , https://herit.ag/49Q0e4P , https://herit.ag/415bsPf

Kathryn Nestor, of Vienna, was charged with one count of false swearing after signing the names of other registered voters on a mayoral nomination petition during the 2020 Vienna municipal election. Nestor pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor charge and was sentenced to ten days in jail which was suspended, 6 months of probation, and fined $50.

Source: https://herit.ag/3VjqmNz

Christopher Williams was involved in a scheme that offered cigarettes and money to homeless people on Skid Row in exchange for fake signatures on ballot initiatives and voter registration forms. This resulted in hundreds of fraudulent signatures. He pleaded no contest to one felony count of circulating an initiative or petition containing false, forged or fictitious names. Williams was sentenced to 3 years’ probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/2WsDEhC, https://herit.ag/3Go5VZb

Nickey Huntley was involved in a scheme that offered cigarettes and money to homeless people on Skid Row in exchange for fake signatures on ballot initiatives and voter registration forms. This resulted in hundreds of fraudulent signatures. He pleaded no contest to one felony count of circulating an initiative or petition containing false, forged or fictitious names. Huntley was sentenced to 3 years’ probation. 

Source: https://herit.ag/3l2W3vQ, https://herit.ag/3i5ACYN

Jentry Jasperson, of Pacifica, forged signatures for a referendum iniative and paid a $5 fee per signature. She was reported to have forged over 100 signatures, most of which were actual country residents. Peterson was charged with 10 counts of perjury by declaration, 5 counts of identity theft, and 5 counts of signing fictious or forged names to a petition. She pleaded guilty to 2 counts of perjury by declaration, a felony, and was sentenced to 2 years in county jail.

Source: https://herit.ag/3f0bT6m, https://herit.ag/3761kKS, Case no. 18-NF-002566-B

Bradley Jasperson, of Pacifica, forged signatures for a referendum initiative and was paid a $5 fee per signature. He was reported to have forged over 100 signatures, most of which were actual country residents. Peterson was charged with 10 counts of perjury by declaration, 5 counts of identity theft, and 5 counts of signing of fictious or forged name to petition. He pleaded guilty to 2 counts of perjury by declaration, a felony, and was sentenced to 2 years in county jail.

Source: bit.ly/38Zlvtc , bit.ly/32qs5pX, Case no. 18-NF-002566-A

Norman Hall, of Los Angeles, participated in scheme to give homeless people on Skid Row cash and cigarettes in exchange for fraudulently signing ballot petition initiatives and filling out voter registration forms. These crimes took place during both the 2016 and 2018 election cycles. Hall was charged with circulating a petition with false names, and pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to 1 year in county jail, 3 years of probation, and was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service.

Source: https://herit.ag/3yakSJJ, https://herit.ag/3zDnYX9,

Richard Howard was involved in a scheme that offered cigarettes and money to homeless people on Skid Row in exchange for fake signatures on ballot initiatives and voter registration forms. This resulted in hundreds of fraudulent signatures. He pleaded no contest to one felony count of subscribing a fictitious name, or the name of another to an initiative petition and registration of a fictitious person. He was sentenced to a suspended sentence of three years and three years of probation.

Source: bit.ly/3kUNeSa, bit.ly/314Q6Us

Louis Wise was involved in a scheme that offered cigarettes and money to homeless people on Skid Row in exchange for fake signatures on ballot initiatives and voter registration forms. This resulted in hundreds of fraudulent signatures. He pleaded no contest to one felony count of subscribing a fictitious name, or the name of another to an initiative petition and registration of a fictitious person. He was sentenced to a suspended sentence of 16 months in state prison and three years of formal probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/3yf300A, https://herit.ag/3zEg53G

Lauren C. Peabody, of Virginia Beach, worked as a campaign staffer for the GOP candidate in the 2nd Congressional District of VA. In that role, she signed off on petition signatures, that she did not witness, to get Shaun Brown, a Democrat, on the ballot as an Independent in order to take away votes from the Democratic nominee (her boss's main opponent). The signatures were forgeries of deceased individuals and former residents. She was charged with two counts of election fraud and pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of "willful neglect of election duty." She received a 12-month suspended sentence based on a year of good behavior and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.

Source: https://herit.ag/3BMDxh2

Simone Marie Thrasher, of Salem, made a series of false statements while acting as a petition circulator in the run-up to the 2016 election. Thrasher, who was gathering signatures on petitions for two proposed state laws, stole multiple peoples' identities and committed other fraudulent acts. She was charged with 35 separate offenses: 14 counts of making a false statement, oath, or affidavit, 11 counts of aggravated identity theft, and 10 counts of identity theft. She pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement, oath, or affidavit, and 4 counts of aggravated identity theft. She was sentenced to serve 80 days in jail with credit for time served, placed on two years of supervised probation, and was ordered to pay $1000 in fines.

Source: Case No. 18CR84380 , https://herit.ag/2Wg8oCf, https://herit.ag/3zuv7Zg

Richard Howard offered homeless people cash and cigarettes in exchange for forging signatures on official petitions using the names and addresses of actual registered voters, in order to qualify several ballot measures. Howard and several others were arrested during an undercover operation. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge and was sentenced to 60 days in jail and 3 years of probation.

Source: bit.ly/2Mmxxpe

Denise Zwit, assistant to the High School District 128 Superintendant, signed three nomination petitions for school board president Patrick Groody, falsely claiming she was present when voters signed them. Zwit initially faced felony perjury charges, but a plea deal saw those charges reduced to misdemeanor counts of disregard of the election code. Zwit pleaded guilty and was sentenced to one year of court supervision, and was ordered to complete 75 hours of public service, pay a $750 fine, and make a $250 donation to the Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center.

Source: https://herit.ag/3pEpl6f, https://herit.ag/2Zo3oNo

Thomas Rudd, a former coroner in Lake County, Illinois, was charged with five felony counts of perjury for making false statements on nominating petitions for his 2016 re-election. Rudd signed the petitions, falsely indicating he had been personally present when voters signed them, and later made the same claim under oath. Prosecutors alleged that 15-20 petition signatures were falsified, including one in the name of a person who had been dead for over 10 years. The felony charges were dismissed as part of a plea deal, and Rudd pleaded guilty to five misdemeanor charges of disregard of the election code. He was given 24 months of probation, ordered to pay two $5,000 fines, and was barred from public employment for five years.

Source: https://herit.ag/3l35VFS, bit.ly/2vLytJc

During her 2017 campaign for the High School District 128 board, Ellen Mauer signed four nomination petitions to be placed on the ballot as a candidate, falsely claiming she was present when voters signed them. Mauer initially faced felony perjury charges, but a plea deal saw those charges reduced to misdemeanor counts of disregard of the election code. Mauer pleaded guilty and was sentenced to one year of court supervision, and was ordered to complete 75 hours of public service, pay a $750 fine, and make a $250 donation to the Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center.

Source: https://herit.ag/3mggMfO, https://herit.ag/2ZqWfN0

Chris Strough and her husband, Queensbury Supervisor John Strough, violated state election law while obtaining signatures on a petition to get John Strough on the Conservative Party primary ballot. John Strough, a Democrat, was required by law to have a notary present for each signature he obtained because he was targeting voters outside of his own party. His wife, a notary public, claimed to have witnessed each signature and read the signer an oath to swear. However, investigators determined she actually remained in the car for many signatures and did not interact with voters. As part of a plea deal, Chris Strough pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, was fined $200, and gave up her notary license, while charges against John Strough will be dismissed pending six months of good behavior.

Source: https://herit.ag/3yc33de, https://herit.ag/2Wi1j48

Russ Casey, a Texas Justice of the Peace, submitted false signatures in order to ensure his place on the Republican primary ballot during his 2018 reelection campaign. Casey withdrew and resigned following the revelation that he had falsified multiple petition signatures and falsely attested to having witnessed the signatures. Casey pleaded guilty to a charge of tampering with a government record, and received a suspended two-year prison sentence and five years of probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/371lVjt

Peggy West, a former Milwaukee county supervisor, submitted false signatures on a petition to place her on the ballot for the spring 2018 election. According to the complaint filed against her, West forged the signatures of multiple residents within her district, and used a third party to collect other signatures despite the legal requirement that she collect them herself. She later falsely attested to have done so. West pleaded guilty to a charge of election fraud, and was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to pay a $2,500 fine.

Source: https://herit.ag/3rCeZm8, https://herit.ag/3zLzik7

While working for Black Diamond Outreach, a Denver-based community outreach organization, Maureen Marie Moss forged 34 signatures on petitions she was circulating to get U.S. Senate candidate Jon Keyser on the ballot for the June 2016 primary. Moss ultimately pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to four years' probation on each count. She was also ordered to complete 250 hours of community service.

Source: https://herit.ag/371lOV5, https://herit.ag/3BIegol, https://herit.ag/3f1DZyg

Angelo Felix Abad forged at least one signature while circulating petitions to place a minimum wage increase on the 2016 ballot. He ultimately pleaded guilty to one count of felony forgery. He now faces a maximum possible sentence of up to six years' imprisonment, and was sentenced on April 7, 2017.

Source: https://herit.ag/3j9Za2v, bit.ly/2tMg8v4

Danny Williams, of Boone County, Missouri, pleaded guilty to three felony counts of forgery. He falsified 114 signatures on 40 ballot petitions advocating that a proposal regarding early voting be placed on the ballot. Williams was sentenced to three years' imprisonment (suspended) and five years' probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/3zGwR21 , Case #15BA-CR01112-01, https://herit.ag/3jDMp11 , https://herit.ag/3rCNzwm

Renaldo Johnson of Las Vegas pleaded guilty to one felony offense for submitting a falsified petition. Johnson was indicted on multiple charges related to submitting fake ballot signatures to have Jill Stein, a Green Party presidential candidate, on the state's ballot. Johnson awaits sentencing.

Source: https://herit.ag/3yakRFF, https://herit.ag/3rCNskq

In 2014, Maria C. Del Toro received $1,900 to collect signatures for a recall election effort against Salinas City Elementary School District Trustee, Janet Barnes. The recall ultimately failed, but during a random audit, the election department found significant discrepancies in the signatures submitted by Del Toro. She confessed to forging the signatures and pleaded guilty. She was sentenced to 40 days in jail, three years' probation, and had to repay the $1,900.

Source: https://herit.ag/3y9XqfQ

Elsadig Saeed Merghani pleaded guilty in 2016 to forging signatures on a petition to get two anti-fracking initiatives on the ballot in the 2016 general election. Merghani submitted at least three signatures that were marked as questionable upon review. The environmentalist-backed ballot measures ultimately did not garner sufficient signatures to qualify for the ballot.

Source: https://herit.ag/3zu29IW, https://herit.ag/3nPwCip

Brandon Hall was convicted of ten counts of ballot petition fraud stemming from the 2012 election. Chris Houghtaling, who sought to become a candidate for the Ottawa County District Court, hired Hall to acquire the necessary signatures for his candidacy; Houghtaling reportedly did not care whether the signatures were collected legally or illegally, and even assisted in Hall's crime by providing him old 2010 petitions to copy. Hall, realizing he did not collect enough signatures, used a phone book to complete the rest. Hall's friend, Zachary Savage, assisted with the fraud, but prosecutors granted him immunity in exchange for his testimony. Hall appealed his conviction, which was affirmed. He is awaiting sentencing.

Source: https://herit.ag/3pDfP36, ,

Rogell Coker, Jr., of Columbia, Missouri, pleaded guilty to three felony counts of forgery after he forged signatures on ballot petitions in 2014. Coker was responsible for 116 fraudulent signatures spread across 26 petitions advocating for an early voting proposal to be put on the ballot. He was given a five-year suspended sentence, placed on probation for five years, and ordered to pay all court costs and fees.

Source: https://herit.ag/2TBqLRa , Case #15BA-CR01114-01, https://herit.ag/3f4jWiJ , https://herit.ag/3BKprN3

Keven Hayes, a homeless man from Columbia, Missouri, pleaded guilty to perjury in 2016 after he forged signatures on a ballot petition in 2014. He had falsified 363 signatures on 60 petitions advocating for an early voting proposal to be placed on the ballot. Hayes was given a four-year suspended sentence and placed on probation for five years.

Source: https://herit.ag/3iSpPR8 , https://herit.ag/3i5ABnH , Case No. 15BA-CR01115-01, https://herit.ag/3l3BXBh

Tracy Jones, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, pleaded guilty to three felony counts of forgery after admitting that she forged 618 signatures on a total of 171 ballot petitions. Jones was sentenced to five years' probation with a suspended three-year prison sentence.

Source: https://herit.ag/2TEI7Nd , Case No. 15BA-CR01654-01, https://herit.ag/3l2K9ly , https://herit.ag/3x6wZpV

Ernest Everett was convicted on three counts of offering a false instrument for filing. Everett was initially charged with second-degree forgery and first-degree offering a false instrument for filing. The charges stemmed from Everett filing nominating petitions that he knew were falsified with the Rensselaer County Board of Elections to run in the Democratic primary for mayor in 2015. Three of the seven misdemeanor charges were subsequently dismissed. Of the four remaining misdemeanor charges, a jury found Everett guilty of three counts of offering a false instrument for filing. Everett received a sentence of 90 hours of community service, to be served through the Rensselaer County Sheriff's Work Program.

Source: https://herit.ag/372GZ95, https://herit.ag/3BPtHe8, https://herit.ag/3f2mCxd, https://herit.ag/3iRXKJx

Frank Sparaco was, as his overseeing judge referred to him, a "rising star [who] has fallen very quickly, very far." A Rockland County Legislator, Sparaco pleaded guilty to eight misdemeanor charges for filing election petitions that nominated individuals to Clarkstown Republican Committee positions, while listing addresses that were not their true residences. In addition, he pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges of furnishing false information by "renting" a room in his home so that he could register two other individuals to vote. He was forced to resign from his $103,000-per-year county legislator position and was sentenced to serve eight weekends of county jail time followed by three years' probation. He will be ineligible to hold political office during the probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/3l9XLLA

Janice Howe pleaded guilty to a charge of perjury stemming from Howe's 1999 forgery of petition signatures. At the time, Howe indicated she had witnessed voters sign their names to the petition. Though she was formally charged in 2002, she was not arrested until 2015. She received a suspended four-year prison sentence and was given four years of probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/2UUrttt

Clayton Walker, a former U.S. Senate candidate, pleaded guilty to one count of offering a false or forged instrument for filing and one count of perjury, both of which are Class 6 felonies. Walker submitted 3,374 signatures on a nominating petition to gain placement on the ballot as an Independent; half of those signatures were subsequently determined to be invalid. After pleading guilty, Walker received two concurrent two-year sentences, with both suspended pending good behavior. Walker was also sentenced to 200 hours of community service with two years of probation and was required to receive a mental health evaluation.

Source: https://herit.ag/3l2W2bg, https://herit.ag/3x2t1i4, https://herit.ag/3zLTUst

Annette Bosworth, a doctor in Sioux Falls, challenged former Governor Mike Rounds for one of South Dakota's U.S. Senate seats in the 2014 Republican primary. She lost, but upon review of her petition, officials discovered that six of the petitions she submitted to the Secretary of State's office contained discrepancies. Bosworth was out of the country on a medical-aid mission trip in the Philippines when her campaign manager, Mike Davis, collected the signatures and filed them on her behalf. However, South Dakota law requires candidates to personally witness each signature on the circulating petition. Additionally, when she signed off on each of the six petitions, she verified that she had personally witnessed the signatures. She was originally charged with six counts of felony perjury, but the charges were later reduced and she was found guilty of offering false or forged instruments for filing. Bosworth was sentenced to 500 hours of community service and parole.

Source: https://herit.ag/3i7evBl, https://herit.ag/3iVp3Tu

Avery Ayers, a candidate for the U.S. Senate, forged signatures on a petition for candidacy in the 2014 General Election race in Texas. Ayers pled guilty to one count of third degree felony forgery and was sentenced to five years in prison.

Source: https://herit.ag/3y85HRf, Case no. 1476757

As if once wasn't enough, in 2014 Reverand Edward Pinkney was convicted again. This time for false certification of petitions in a mayoral recall election. As a habitual offender, based on his three prior convictions, Pinkney was sentenced to serve between two-and-a-half and ten years in prison.

Source: https://herit.ag/3rDeIzh, https://herit.ag/3yc3aWc

Deborah Carroll pleaded guilty to one felony count of forging signatures on an initiative petition to re-establish a coastal zone management program. One of the initiative's sponsors noticed inconsistencies with the signatures Carroll had collected and reported the matter to the authorities. Carroll was sentenced to serve two years in jail followed by three years' probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/374fWdK, https://herit.ag/314WPAr

Former St. Joseph County Democratic Chairman Butch Morgan, Jr. was sentenced to one year of prison after being convicted of felony charges stemming from a plot to forge signatures on the petition to place Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton on the Indiana Democratic Primary ballot in 2008. Morgan, along with multiple co-conspirators from the Board of Voter Registration, forged over 200 signatures. A Yale University junior, Ryan Nees, discovered the fraud, noting "page after page of signatures are all the same handwriting." The forgery was overlooked during the primary process "because election workers in charge of verifying their validity were the same people faking the signatures."

Source: https://herit.ag/3iQE493

Pam Brunette, Beverly Shelton, and Dustin Blythe worked with Butch Morgan (see prior entry) to forge over 200 signatures on the petition to enter Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton into the Indiana Democratic Primary. A Yale University junior, Ryan Nees, discovered the fraud, noting "page after page of signatures are all the same handwriting." The forgery was overlooked during the primary process "because election workers in charge of verifying their validity were the same people faking the signatures." Brunette, a board member on the St. Joseph County Board of Voter Registration Democratic, and Shelton, a board worker, both received two years of probation in exchange for their testimony against Morgan. The judge sentenced Dustin Blythe, a board worker and Democrat volunteer, to one year in Community Corrections and probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/2Vf1CfA

During a 2012 campaign for the statewide ballot petition on the "Voters First Ohio Amendment," a group associated with the AFL-CIO called Working America hired Timothy Zureick to collect petition signatures. Zureick forged the names of 22 prominent Athens Democrats, including those on the Athens County Board of Elections. The Democrats on the board alerted officials when their signatures appeared on the petitions they were certifying. Zureick entered into a plea agreement that stipulated he serve no prison time, but the judge nevertheless sentenced him to a week in jail to impress upon Zureick the gravity of his actions. The judge also ordered Zureick to pay all court costs within 60 days, and to perform 100 hours of community service within the first 24 months of his community control.

Source: bit.ly/2hKFnFp, https://herit.ag/3rPtL9v

Jennifer Derrebery, of Bassett, pleaded guilty to felony counts of election fraud and perjury after she produced hundreds of fraudulent signatures on a petition to get Newt Gingrich on the ballot for the Republican presidential nomination. She received a 10-year suspended sentence and five years' probation, and she was required to pay $1,266 in court costs.

Source: bit.ly/2tNyIQA, bit.ly/2tNTKyL, Augusta County Circuit Court, Cases CR13000083-00, CR13000084-00

Adam Ward, an employee of the Gingrich presidential campaign, pleaded guilty to 36 counts of voter fraud, as well as perjury after admitting that he forged signatures during the drive to get Gingrich on the Virginia primary ballot. Out of 11,000 signatures collected by Ward, 4,000 could not be confirmed.

Source: https://herit.ag/3BiWOFc

Caitlin B. Haycock pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor election fraud charge for signing both of her parents' names to a 2011 petition seeking a recall election for Governor Scott Walker. Compounding the issue, Haycock told the petition circulator, Jenny Wanasek, what she was doing. Wanasek deliberately (and literally) looked the other way so Haycock could commit the fraud. Wanasek later pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the incident. As for Haycock, she was sentenced to 40 hours of community service and was fined $500 as conditions of probation.

Source: bit.ly/2f1LsPz, bit.ly/2e8IKsr

Deborah A. Mehling was found guilty of a civil violation in a small claims court for signing a petition sheet as a circulator even though her daughter had collected one of the signatures. Mehling was fined $100.

Source: bit.ly/2f1LsPz, bit.ly/2e8IKsr

Jenny Wanasek was the petition circulator for the recall of Governor Scott Walker who deliberately looked away so that Caitlin B. Haycock could sign her parents' names on the petition. Wanasek pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge for failing to cross out the parents' names before turning in the petition. Wanasek was sentenced to 40 hours of community service and was fined $500 as conditions of probation.

Source: bit.ly/2f1LsPz, bit.ly/2e8IKsr

Mark S. Demet, of Racine, pleaded guilty to two counts of election fraud after admitting to forging at least seven names on petitions to recall State Senator Van Wanggaard in 2011 and 2012. Prosecutors dropped seven charges of identity fraud in exchange for the plea, and prosecutors in nearby Kenosha County agreed not to charge Demet for similar election offenses committed there. Demet claimed he was driven by extreme animus towards Republicans that led him to allow his emotions to "run wild" in the "toxic political environment in the state of Wisconsin." Demet was sentenced to pay $2,500 in fines.

Source: bit.ly/2q6EQlX, bit.ly/2qfiTjV, bit.ly/2oKcRXn

Former staff members for U.S. Representative Thaddeus McCotter created fake nominating petitions for his short-lived 2012 presidential campaign. Lorianne O'Brady pleaded no contest to falsely signing a nominating petition, and was sentenced to 20 days in either prison or a work program, as well as paying $2,625. Don Yowchuang pleaded no contest to 10 counts of forgery and six counts of falsely signing a nominating petition as a circulator, and received three years' probation and 200 hours of community service. Paul Seewald pleaded guilty to nine counts of falsely signing a nominating petition, and received 100 hours of community service and three years' probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/2Ww4fdP

Former Oakland County Democratic Party officials, Jason Bauer and Mike McGuinness, were charged with election fraud for trying to put a fake Tea Party candidate on the ballot in order to dilute the Republican vote. Bauer pleaded no contest and was sentenced to one year probation and $2,600 in fines. McGuinness pleaded no contest to perjury and forgery, and received one year probation, 180 hours of community service, and $1,965 in fines.

Source: https://herit.ag/2WqExHw, https://herit.ag/371lUvV, https://herit.ag/3eYmKh1

Ten players on the North Dakota State football team, who had been hired to collect signatures for ballot petitions establishing a conservation fund and legalizing medical marijuana, each pleaded guilty to misdemeanor election fraud charges, admitting that rather than gathering signatures, they forged them. Each player was sentenced to 360 days of unsupervised community service, 50 hours of community service, and $325 in fines.

Source: https://herit.ag/3kZqtPh

Debra Ortutay, former Rockland County Independence Party chairwoman, pleaded guilty to multiple criminal charges in relation to fraudulent petition signatures and perjury before a grand jury. She had signed ballot petitions multiple times and falsely claimed that she had witnessed voters signing them. Ortutay was sentenced to four months in jail and five years' probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/2VcrMQ7 , https://herit.ag/3xekIQw, https://herit.ag/3zJbo8W

Horace Crawford pleaded guilty to a charge of election falsification after he forged signatures on a petition to enter his name on the 2012 Democrat primary ballot for the 10th congressional district. The Montgomery County Board of Elections determined only seven signatures were valid and disqualified him from running for office. Crawford was sentenced to five years of community control.

Source: https://herit.ag/2VisyuM, Case #2012 CR 00507

Roshanda F. Croom pleaded guilty to one felony count of prohibited acts relating to petitions or declarations by filing false documents with election authorities. She was sentenced to 18 months on community control.

Source: https://herit.ag/3zFvQY3

Brenda Griffin, of Dayton, was convicted of 18 felony charges of election falsifications, filing false petitions, and forging signatures relating to a liquor license ballot initiative. Griffin, the leading petition circulator for the liquor license, turned in 320 petition signatures, despite only 109 signatures being required. The fraud was discovered when the County Board of Elections contacted several supposed signers, who reported they did not sign the petition. Griffin's sentence was reduced from a possible six to 12 months of prison time to five years of probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/3rAXUsZ

Feda Morton, a former congressional candidate, pleaded guilty to falsifying a campaign document after admitting that she convinced friends to sign a petition to get a favored political candidate on the ballot for a 2011 election. Submitting the signatures for notarization, Morton attested to having personally witnessed the signatures even though she hadn't. Morton was sentenced to probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/2ZkXMDK, https://herit.ag/31526b9

Yadira Colon pleaded guilty to one felony count each of election fraud and falsification of nomination papers. Colon forged signatures on nomination papers for the 2008 election for Pedro Colon (no relation), then a member of the state assembly and now a circuit judge. Yadira Colon also illegally registered and voted in Milwaukee, despite actually living in the city of Oshkosh. Colon was sentenced 20 days' incarceration and given one year of probation.

Source: bit.ly/2oK2Sl0, bit.ly/2qflbQi, bit.ly/2oK5sre

Angela Gumbarevic pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a forged instrument for allegedly forging signatures on her petition to be a candidate for the office of Oneida County Sheriff. She was sentenced to five years' probation and 150 hours of community service.

Source: https://herit.ag/3BL5uFW, https://herit.ag/3iZz95U

Joseph Copija, of Oceanside, California, pleaded guilty to charges of election falsification and complicity to election falsification. He forged signatures on a ballot petition aiming to get a casino initiative on the Ohio ballot in 2008. Copija was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and ordered to pay court costs.

Source: https://herit.ag/3lHsSgn, https://herit.ag/3i8YZVS, (Case #09CR000368)

Deshara M. McKinney, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to falsifying signatures on applications for absentee ballots while working as a canvasser in the 2009 ballot initiative to allow casinos in Ohio. McKinney fled the state after her fraud was discovered, and was eventually arrested in Michigan. She was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to complete 40 hours of community service. She was also required to pay court costs and the cost of her extradition.

Source: https://herit.ag/3tTpGC5

A California resident was convicted of illegally circulating a ballot petition for USA Consultants in an effort to legalize gambling in Ohio. Furthermore, Ramirez paid Ohio voters to sign their names on empty ballots. Over half the signatures on the petition were invalid. Ramirez was sentenced to 120 days in prison and three years of community control.

Source: https://herit.ag/37iNPYp, https://herit.ag/3f4Fagf

Eugene Kryczka, of Antioch, pleaded guilty to perjury in 2009. He had falsified 50 signatures on a ballot petition, in an attempt to run for Antioch town assessor. He also signed certifications in 19 of these cases, asserting that he had seen these individuals sign the petitions, when in fact, he had not. Kryczka was sentenced to a five-year suspended sentence, two years' probation, and a $500 fine. He was barred from holding public office.

Source: https://herit.ag/3f4Y0no, https://herit.ag/3BLlZSu

Kenneth Davison and Jerry D. Knight, two campaign workers for state Senator Terry Link, were indicted on felony forgery and perjury charges for placing phony signatures on petitions to get state Senator Terry Link on the 2008 Democratic primary ballot. These phony signatures included the names of deceased voters. Davidson pleaded guilty to nine counts of perjury and was sentenced to probation and 60 days in jail. Knight pleaded guilty to 11 counts of perjury and was sentenced to 24 months of probation and 100 hours of community service.

Source: https://herit.ag/3i30STL, https://herit.ag/3l2VTVg, https://herit.ag/3x5db6h

Dominick Forte pleaded guilty to a felony forgery charge in connection with election misconduct as the leader of the Town of Cornwall's Conservative Party committee. Forte admitted to signing fake signatures on nominating petitions in a race for a county legislature seat. He was sentenced to a conditional discharge.

Source: https://herit.ag/3rDnGN8

Donshay Lemar Carter pleaded guilty to one charge of filing a false petition. He was ordered to complete one year of community control.

Source: https://herit.ag/3BWg0dN

Jowan Christian pleaded guilty to violating Ohio's prohibitions relating to petitions or declarations law. She received a deferred 12-month prison sentence pending completion of 12 months of community control.

Source: https://herit.ag/3l01snh

Endalyn Adams, a registration worker, was convicted of falsely procuring voter registration information. To meet her daily registration quota, she made up information on voter registration forms and submitted them. Adam Mucklin, a special registration deputy with the Community Voter Project, was convicted of attempting to register himself to vote even though he was a convicted felon and therefore ineligible. He was also convicted for attempting to lie to the Milwaukee Election Commission. Ms. Adams was sentenced to three years' probation and 75 hours of community service. Mucklin was sentenced to four months in the House of Correction on one count and given a stayed consecutive seven-month sentence and a year of probation on the other count.

Source: bit.ly/2fLjTvf

McCulloch, a political consultant working on the reelection campaign of Milton Township Assessor James Gumm, was convicted of three counts of perjury and one count of disregard of the election code. McCulloch oversaw a scheme that forged signatures to qualify Gumm for the ballot. He received two years' probation, 150 hours of community service, and was ordered to pay $200 to a county anti-crime fund.

Source: https://herit.ag/3x7VPFY, https://herit.ag/3zBqKfo

Vincent Sculco, Republican Chairman for the town of North Greenbush, pleaded guilty to forging a signature on a nomination petition for a 2007 election. The investigation revealed that Sculco may have forged more than 40 signatures. Sculco was sentenced to the sheriff's work-order program.

Source: https://herit.ag/3zLz64n

Mickensey Oliveria pleaded no contest to ballot petition fraud. Oliveria was charged with providing a false affidavit for a referendum or recall petition or the signatures appended thereto.

Source: https://herit.ag/3f4rYIq, Superior Court of California, Case #1090738

A former Hayward County school board candidate pleaded guilty to registering fictitious voters and falsifying ballot initiatives, both felonies. Treskunoff was initially charged with over 40 felonies. He was sentenced to one year in prison, followed by five years' probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/3zFebQj, https://herit.ag/3yc368U,

Richard Saint Angel pleaded guilty to several offenses under New York State Penal Law in relation to hundreds of forged petition signatures provided to the Dutchess County Board of Elections in an attempt to make it on to the ballot as a candidate for Town Supervisor in Poughkeepsie, NY. He was sentenced to one year in jail.

Source: https://herit.ag/2Va2sKC

During a 2006 ballot measure, Diana Clagett submitted three signature sheets that contained 27 "questionable signatures" that either belonged to unregistered voters or did not match the signatures on voter registration cards. A Multnomah County grand jury indicted Clagett on two counts of making false statements. She subsequently pleaded guilty to one felony count and was placed on probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/3y9dyOF

William Burl Clayton III was charged with illegally signing an initiative petition in relation to the 2004 general election in Bonneville County, Idaho. He was convicted in 2005, and was given two years' probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/3l1kDwU, Case #CR-2004-0017912-FE

Patty Kae McCammon pleaded guilty to illegally signing an initiative petition in relation to the 2004 general election in Bonneville County, Idaho. She was sentenced to two years' probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/3rDnrlc, Case #CR-2004-0017920-FE

Goodson was convicted of falsifying or forging public records and wrongful signing of a ballot petition (a felony charge) in connection with the 2004 general election. He was found guilty.

Source: https://herit.ag/3kZqpPx

In Blue River, Wisconsin, Douglas Ferrel was found guilty of making false representations that he personally had obtained each of the signatures on a recall petition when he had not. He was found guilty and charged court assessments of $707.

Source: bit.ly/2f1NGhS, bit.ly/2elzXi9

Paul Frankel and his accomplice, James Gurga, used a "bait and switch" technique. They had a fake petition that called for lowering gas taxes which they kept on the top of their clipboards at Lloyd Center Mall in Portland. After people signed it, they would tell them that they had to "verify" their signature by signing all the pages underneath. What the signers didn't know is that they had fooled them into unwittingly signing real petitions. Frankel and Gurga pleaded guilty to fraud charges and election law violations.

Source: https://herit.ag/3rCNA3o, https://herit.ag/2Wi1igA, https://herit.ag/3ymcwz3, (Case #011137476)