Election Fraud Cases

Jerry Trabona, former Chief of Police in Amite City, was initially charged by federal authorities with one count of conspiracy to commit vote buying and three counts of vote buying and aiding & abetting after his involvement in a vote-buying scheme during 2016 Tangipahoa Parish primary and general elections. Trabona, who served as Chief of Police from 2005-2020, conspired with Kristian Hart, who served as an Amite City Councilmember since 2016, by soliciting individuals to buy votes for them and other candidates they supported in the Tangipahoa Parish 2016 Open Primary and General Elections. According to the indictment "Hart and Trabona provided individuals who were buying votes for them and individuals selling their votes with sample ballots and lists of candidate numbers for whom the voters should cast their votes." To conceal the purpose of these payments "Trabona had those individuals sign contracts falsely stating that they would not 'make any overture of any kind to any voter or other person of financial award or benefit in exchange for a vote.’" Hart and Trabona had the vote-buyers provide a list of the voter paid, and after receiving the list, would pay the vote-buyer up to $20 for each individual they had paid to vote. Trabona pleaded guilty to a one-count federal superseding indictment of conspiracy to commit vote buying. He is awaiting sentencing. 

Source: https://herit.ag/3KgR8lx, https://herit.ag/3AFbDF4, https://herit.ag/3R3msX4

Kristian "Kris" Hart, an Amite City Councilmember, was initially charged by federal authorities with one count of conspiracy to commit vote buying and 2 counts of vote buying and aiding & abetting. Hart conspired with Jerry Trabona, who served as Chief of Police for Amite City from 2005-2020 and sought re-election in 2016, by soliciting individuals to buy votes for them and other candidates they supported in the Tangipahoa Parish 2016 and 2020 Open Primary and General Elections. According to the indictment "Hart and Trabona provided individuals who were buying votes for them and individuals selling their votes with sample ballots and lists of candidate numbers for whom the voters should cast their votes." Hart employed vote buyers to identify individuals who had not yet voted and then take them to the polls to vote and pay them for their vote. In some cases, he transported individuals he paid to vote to and from polling places. Hart and Trabona made the vote-buyers provide a list of the voters they paid, and after receiving the list, would pay the vote-buyer up to $20 for each individual they had paid to vote. Hart pleaded guilty to a one count federal superseding indictment of conspiracy to commit vote buying and three counts of vote buying and aiding & abetting. He is awaiting sentencing.

Source: https://herit.ag/3CszrgO, https://herit.ag/3POPF6W

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

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

William Rojas, of Hoboken, acted illegally by attempting to bribe voters with $50 to send in mail-in ballots to support a candidate for a seat on the Hoboken City Council during the 2015 Hoboken municipal election. Rojas was charged with and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring with others to use the mail to promote a voter bribery scheme. He was sentenced to one year of probation.

Source: bit.ly/3dz9yPG , bit.ly/2QfW2Y8 , bit.ly/2PaCzI4 , bit.ly/32sVwIW

Cary Johnson, the former Canton Fire Chief, bought votes using money and beer in his 2017 race for fire chief. Johnson was indicted on three counts of voter fraud, but as part of a plea deal, he plead guilty to one count and was admitted to a pre-trial diversion program. Johnson was given one year to complete the program in order to avoid a felony conviction.

Source: https://herit.ag/2WrcPKJ , https://herit.ag/3f42Z7T

Andrew Grant, a city alderman in Canton, tried to buy at least one person's vote in the 2017 municipal election in which he was running. Grant was charged with four counts of voter fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit voter. Grant pleaded guilty to one conspiracy charge. He was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, which was suspended, and he resigned from office.

Source: https://herit.ag/3vKm2v4, https://herit.ag/3xiBI8h

Matthew Calicchio bribed voters with $50 to cast mail-in ballots in a 2013 municipal election in Hoboken to support  a rent-control referendum and city council candidate (and longtime Hoboken political player) Frank “Pupie” Raia.  Calicchio did the same thing in a 2015 municipal election to support another candidate for City Council. Calicchio pleaded guilty to using the mails to promote voter bribery. He was sentenced to two years of probation and fined $100.

Source: bit.ly/3gr0Nsv , bit.ly/3amKFo3 , bit.ly/3sqVPhW

Dio Braxton, of Hoboken, participated in a scheme to pay certain Hoboken voters $50 each if those voters applied for and cast mail-in ballots for candidate (and longtime Hoboken political player) Frank “Pupie” Raia for a seat on the Hoboken City Council and for a rent-control referendum during the 2013 Hoboken municipal election. Dio was charged with and pleaded guilty to one count of use of the mails to promote a voter bribery scheme. He is awaiting sentencing.

Source: bit.ly/3xb6Ass , bit.ly/3gmdhSp , bit.ly/3arOk43 , bit.ly/2QHLP6U

Longtime Hoboken politico Frank “Pupie” Raia was convicted following a jury trial of “conspiracy to violate the federal Travel Act for causing the mails to be used in aid of voter bribery” in connection to a 2013 municipal election. Raia was at the center of a vote-by-mail bribery scheme in which he directed campaign workers to pay residents $50 for voting for his council slate (including himself) and for a rent-control referendum that he favored. Raia’s initial sentence was vacated by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, and he is awaiting resentencing.  

Source: https://herit.ag/3i7aYmL , https://herit.ag/3iRgh8R

Brian "Wormy" Hodge, a reserve deputy with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, conspired with Betty Best to buy votes for Randy White's campaign for sheriff. White narrowly won the race, but was subsequently removed from the post. The pair paid between $20 and $40 per vote. Both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to buy votes, mainly of absentee ballots. Hodge was sentenced to a five-year probation term and ordered to perform 50 hours of community service. The judge waived the associated fine.

Source: https://herit.ag/3l1pb6p, https://herit.ag/3nPboRT

Lizaida Camis, of Hoboken, acted illegally by attempting to bribe voters with $50 to send in mail-in ballots to support candidate (and longtime Hoboken political player) Frank “Pupie” Raia for a seat on the Hoboken City Council and a rent-control referendum during the 2013 Hoboken municipal election. Camis was charged with and pleaded guilty to one count of use of the mails to promote a voter bribery scheme. She was sentenced to six months’ probation and fined $100.

Source: bit.ly/3gusDEn , bit.ly/3v4OdDr

Betty Best, of Monroe County, conspired with Brian "Wormy" Hodge to buy votes for Randy White's campaign for Sheriff. White narrowly won the race, but was subsequently removed from the post. The pair paid between $20 and $40 per vote. Both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to buy votes, mainly absentee ballots. Best was sentenced to three years of probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/2Ww4gOV, https://herit.ag/3tTpFy1

Magoffin County Magistrate Gary Risner, Deputy County Clerk Larry Shepherd, and Tami Jo Risner (his ex-wife) were convicted of felony voter fraud for a vote buying scheme for a host of candidates in the 2014 election. An accomplice, Scotty L. McCarty, was also charged but pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and testified against the others. His testimony revealed that the group had participated in vote buying conspiracies in elections dating back to 2010. He also testified that Larry Shepherd contributed $10,000 and Risner contributed $2,000 to the vote buying racquet, paying individuals $50 to vote for their slate of candidates. Shepherd also revealed that in a 2010 election, while acting as a precinct officer, he added 60 votes to the total for a candidate, and Risner signed the names of those who hadn't voted to cover the discrepancy. The U.S. District Judge scheduled sentencing for December 2016, with the charges carrying a maximum penalty of five years.

Source: https://herit.ag/2UV3YQT

Scott McCarty pleaded guilty to bribing a voter in the 2014 Kentucky primary elections. McCarty admitted to accompanying a woman into a voting booth to make sure she voted for the right candidates. Afterwards, McCarty directed the woman to another person who would pay her for her vote. McCarty is to be sentenced in May and faces up to a year in prison.

Source: https://herit.ag/3yc36FW

In the 2014 Turkey Creek election, incumbent mayor Heather Cloud was voted out of office by a margin of four votes. It was later revealed that Stanley Leger, a campaign employee for challenger Bert Campbell, had paid $15 each to four mentally impaired individuals in exchange for their promise to vote for Campbell. Cloud challenged the election. The Third Circuit Court of Appeals of Louisiana ordered that the four votes be struck and a new election be held, which Cloud won. Leger later pleaded guilty to illegal electioneering, receiving a suspended six-month jail sentence and 18 months' probation. He was also ordered to pay a $500 fine and $2,000 in restitution to Mayor Cloud.

Source: https://herit.ag/3rEwCBV, https://herit.ag/3zH51CV, https://herit.ag/3yb4kRM

Max Sanders, a student at the University of Minnesota, was charged with bribery, treating, and solicitation after offering to sell his vote to the highest bidder on eBay. Offering to buy or sell a vote is a felony under an 1893 Minnesota law. He was sentenced to 50 hours' community service. The charges will be dismissed if he completes his community service within six months.

Source: https://herit.ag/3i9o9mU, https://herit.ag/3BKBA4L, https://herit.ag/3iVp7mc

In the Donna School Board race, four campaign workers participated in a scheme that involved buying votes with cocaine, cash, beer, and cigarettes. All four pleaded guilty; Garcia received an 18-month sentence, and Castaneda received an eight-month sentence with credit for cooperating against her co-defendants.

Source: bit.ly/2e8xPPu, bit.ly/2uesT2u

Ruth Robinson, the former mayor of Martin, Kentucky, was sentenced to 90 months' imprisonment on a variety of charges that included vote buying, identity theft, and fraud. With specific regard to the election charges, Robinson and co-conspirators James "Red" Robinson (her husband) and James Steven Robinson (her son) threatened and intimidated residents of Martin in the run-up to the 2012 election in which Robinson was seeking re-election. The cabal targeted residents living in public housing or in properties Robinson owned, threatening them with eviction if they did not sign absentee ballots the Robinsons had already filled out. Robinson also targeted disabled residents and offered to buy the votes of others. "Red" Robinson was sentenced to 40 months in prison, and his son James Steven Robinson received a total of 31 months' imprisonment.

Source: https://herit.ag/3f4jVeF

Two campaign workers pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Texas for paying voters to vote in two 2012 elections in Hidalgo County, Texas. In an elaborate vote-buying scheme, Belina Solis and Veronica Saldivar offered "baggies" of cocaine and money in exchange for votes for local and county candidates. After an extensive FBI investigation, they both pleaded guilty to one count of vote-buying.

Source: https://herit.ag/3f2jVMh

Democratic Rep. Hudson Hallum, his father Kent Hallum, and two campaign workers, Phillip Wayne Carter and Sam Malone, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit election fraud. The lawmaker's campaign bribed absentee voters and destroyed ballots in the Arkansas District 54 primary, runoff, and general elections in 2011. Hudson Hallam was sentenced to one year of home detention, three years' probation, and was ordered to pay a $20,000 fine and complete 100 hours of community service. Kent Hallum received probation and nine months' home confinement. Sam Malone received three years' probation (7.2 months of which was home confinement), and 100 hours of community service. Carter received three years' probation (five months of which was monitored home confinement) 100 hours of community service, and a $2,500 fine.

Source: https://herit.ag/3BJy3nb, https://herit.ag/3iS6Kyo

Arch Turner, the Breathitt County School Superintendent, pleaded guilty to conspiracy, admitting to handing out money to buy votes in a 2010 election. He was sentenced to two years in prison and fined $250,000 for his role in directing a vote-buying scheme.

Source: https://herit.ag/372GU5h

Three Jackson residents were convicted in a vote buying scheme in a 2010 magistrate's race where they tried to control the outcome of the primary election. Johnson and Young were sentenced to four months in prison for conspiring to buy votes and vote buying. Jennings was sentenced to two months in prison for vote buying and conspiracy.

Source: bit.ly/2fiA3b8

In 2012, Michael Salyers, a former Brethitt County magistrate candidate, was sentenced to two months in jail, six months in home confinement, and ordered to perform 120 hours of community service for buying votes during his campaign. He admitted to paying people $25 to vote for him.

Source: https://herit.ag/3y7GZAI, https://herit.ag/3rAZtH8

Six defendants pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to buy votes in the 2006 Monroe County general election in favor of certain candidates. Gumm was sentenced to three years' probation with eight months' home detention and a $4,000 fine. Martha Hughes, Michael Page, and Corey Page were each sentenced to two years' probation and six months' home detention. Newport was sentenced to two years' probation, two months' home incarceration, and ordered to pay a $500 fine. Proffitt was sentenced to two years' probation and ordered to pay $1000 in fines.

Source: https://herit.ag/37iNKE5, bit.ly/2eVD58f

Randy Salyer, an operative in a vote-buying scheme connected to Magoffin County Judge-Executive Charles "Doc" Hardin, was convicted of two counts of vote-buying. A joint investigation by the Kentucky Attorney General's office and the FBI revealed that Salyer paid individuals $100 each to bring him their absentee ballots. He was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison, but amazingly upon his release Judge-Executive Hardin hired Salyer as an assistant, likely as a reward for not testifying against him, according to documents filed by the prosecutor in the case.

Source: bit.ly/2eAIM8F, https://herit.ag/3BPBUiv

Former Dodge County Sheriff Michael Douglas, Jr., and Deputy Sheriff Olin Gibson pleaded guilty to election fraud in connection with Douglas' first campaign for sheriff in 2004. Douglas pleaded guilty to conspiracy to buy votes and to voting more than once, and Gibson pleaded guilty to buying a vote for Douglas.

Source: https://herit.ag/3l6shWP

Wilbur Graves, a former judge-executive for Monroe County, was convicted along with Wanda Moore, Gary Bartley, and Ronald Muse in a vote-buying scheme during the 2006 Monroe County general election. Moore and Muse both reached a plea agreement with prosecutors, testifying against Wilbur Graves. During the testimony, Moore stated that Graves provided her $20,000 to $30,000 which Moore used to buy votes for Graves. She paid about 140 voters $40 to $60 per vote. Graves was convicted and sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison, two years' supervised release, and a $5,000 fine. Moore was sentenced to two years' probation and a $400 fine. The judge sentenced Bartley to six months' probation/home confinement and ordered him to pay a $2,000 fine. Muse was sentenced to time served.

Source: bit.ly/2eVD58f, https://herit.ag/3rB1HGH

Chester Jones and Sherman Neace pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a vote-buying scheme masterminded by the two men during the 2008 election. Jones was running for the Perry County School Board and also served as chairman of the county Democrat Party executive committee. Neace, a former county judge-executive, was running for magistrate. The pair accepted $7,500 from the Kentucky Democrat Party to fund get-out-the-vote efforts, but instead used the money to buy the votes of 75 Perry County voters for $100 apiece. Both men pleaded guilty to mail-fraud charges for mailing false campaign-spending documents to state agencies to cover up their illegal activity. Jones was sentenced to one year in prison, and Neace was sentenced to three years of probation, serving the first six months in home confinement.

Source: https://herit.ag/3iM4vMU, bit.ly/2fiEzWY, bit.ly/2eoz1Ne

Eight defendants (including a former circuit judge, a former school superintendent, a county clerk, a magistrate, and a former Democratic election commissioner) were convicted of vote-buying, mail fraud, extortion, and money laundering for checking lists of voters to identify those who would take bribes and for organizing people to drive them to the polls, where complicit precinct workers made sure they voted correctly and gave them a ticket to redeem for payment. After a lengthy appeals process, and after all 8 had served 40 months in prison, their sentences were reduced to: William Morris - five years, six months; Debra Morris - three years, four months; Stanley Bowling - five years, six months; Maricle, Stivers, Adams - 100 days' home incarceration, two years' supervised release; Freddy Thompson - two years' supervised release. Charles Jones has not yet been sentenced.

Source: bit.ly/2fdA29C, bit.ly/2eezHBr, https://herit.ag/3zHOMpi

Larry "Tip" Massey pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit voter fraud in connection with his involvement in a 2007 Benton County election vote-buying scheme. He was sentenced to five years in prison, although three of those years were suspended. He will serve two years in prison and another two under supervised probation.

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

Kenny Ray Bowen and Billy Street both pleaded guilty to two counts of voter fraud in connection with their involvement in a vote-buying scheme surrounding the 2007 Benton County election. They were the last of 16 individuals who either pleaded guilty or were found guilty of voter fraud in an elaborate electioneering operation. Both men were sentenced to five years, with four-and-a-half years suspended, six months to serve under house arrest, and four-and-a-half years under post-release supervision. Bowen and Street were also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine to the Crime Victim's Compensation Fund.

Source: https://herit.ag/3l3BSxt, https://herit.ag/3xbrEh0

Jasper Buggs, Sr., James Bullock, and Ronnie Wilkerson pleaded guilty to voter fraud charges in connection with their involvement in a vote-buying scheme surrounding the 2007 Benton County election. Buggs pleaded guilty to two counts of voter fraud, Bullock pleaded guilty to five counts of voter fraud, and Wilkerson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit voter fraud. All three men were sentenced to five years, with four years suspended and one year to serve under house arrest on each count, all the counts to run concurrently. They were also sentenced to four years of post-release supervision and were ordered to pay a $1,000 fine to the Crime Victim's Compensation Fund.

Source: https://herit.ag/3zMygV3 , https://herit.ag/2VbUjFu

Jerry Huck Childers, Cooper Epps, David Massey, Arnold Rooker, Sr., and Stanley Maurice Warren all pleaded guilty to voter fraud charges in connection with their involvement in a vote-buying scheme surrounding the 2007 Benton County election. They were part of ring of 16 individuals who either pleaded guilty or were found guilty of voter fraud in an elaborate electioneering operation.

Source: https://herit.ag/3rBsVgh , https://herit.ag/2TBA9US , https://herit.ag/3f22pr8

Benton County supervisor Tate King was convicted of committing voter fraud after he paid people to vote for him in the 2007 primary and runoff elections. Eleven others who were also under investigation in connection with this matter have also either pleaded guilty or been convicted. He was sentenced to one year in prison, two years on house arrest, and two years of supervised release, in addition to a $5,000 fine. Norton received three years' supervised probation, and Massey received one year of house arrest and two years of supervised release.

Source: https://herit.ag/3yarVSD, https://herit.ag/3rEwDWv , https://herit.ag/372H5gX

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

Robert Madon, a former mayor of Pineville, Kentucky, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to buy votes in his November 2006 election. He used his son to pay voters $10_$20 to cast absentee ballots for him in the election, even paying one woman $50 to leave town after her absentee ballot was refused when she told town officials she would not be out of town on Election Day. He was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison, two years of supervised release, and fined $4,000.

Source: https://herit.ag/3i9HEvX, bit.ly/2sADmlQ, https://herit.ag/3l22nDF

Brent Madon, of Pineville, Kentucky, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to buy votes after he paid voters $10_$20 to vote for his father, a candidate for Pineville mayor in the November 2006 election, using absentee ballots. He was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release, the first six months of which were spent in home confinement.

Source: https://herit.ag/3f4EZl5, bit.ly/2sADmlQ, https://herit.ag/3BOI42A

Clint Moffitt, candidate for Benton County Sheriff, and Ada Tucker were convicted of conspiracy to commit voter fraud in the 2007 primary and runoff elections. Tucker was sentenced to five years, with the first year in prison, second year under house arrest, and three years under supervised release. Moffitt received two years in prison, one under house arrest, and two years of supervised release. Both were ordered to pay $5,000 in fines.

Source: https://herit.ag/3rETQYM, https://herit.ag/374fSuw

East Saint Louis City precinct committeemen Charles Powell, Sheila Thomas, Jesse Lewis, and Kelvin Ellis, as well as precinct worker Yvette Johnson, were convicted for conspiracy to commit election fraud after participating in vote-buying activities in the 2004 election, including submitting budgets that would allow city funds to pay voters to vote for Democratic candidates. Powell was sentenced to 21 months in prison; Thomas was sentenced to 18 months in prison, $400 in fines, and two years' supervised release; Johnson was sentenced to two years' probation with the first five months in monitored home confinement; Lewis was sentenced to 15 months in prison, two years' supervised release, and $200 in fines; Ellis was sentenced to a 4.5 year prison sentence for election fraud and assorted criminal offenses, including running a prostitution ring out of city hall and threatening to kill a federal witness.

Source: https://herit.ag/3l9XAjo, https://herit.ag/3i8YTxu

Charles "Chuck" Hart, of Salt Lick, Kentucky, was found guilty of vote buying, obstruction of justice, and lying to federal agents. He bought votes during a Bath County primary election, and subsequently tried to contact and pressure jurors to rule in his favor. Hart was sentenced to 33 months' federal imprisonment.

Source: https://herit.ag/3CoS3Lk

Manchester City Councilman Darnell Hipsher pleaded guilty to conspiring to gain public favor by using city purchased asphalt to pave thirty-two private driveways, as part of a scheme to buy votes. He was sentenced to forty-six months in jail. He returned to the city council after his release.

Source: https://herit.ag/3i7aWv9

An eastern Kentucky county magistrate, Johnson was convicted of buying votes in the 2002 primary. He was sentenced to 14 months in prison and forced to pay $10,000 in fines.

Source: https://herit.ag/3y8oXhr, bit.ly/2ueJnYp

Donald Maze pleaded guilty to paying four different people at least $100 each for their vote in the Democrat primary for Bath County Attorney. He was sentenced to 21 months in jail, followed by two years of supervised release and 200 hours of community service. Additionally, he was assessed a $50,000 fine.

Source: bit.ly/2ue1MoD, https://herit.ag/3krMMN8, https://herit.ag/3x7rp6S

Bath County Judge-Executive Walter Bascom Shrout was convicted of conspiracy to buy votes. He was also found guilty of obstruction of justice and making false statements to a federal agent. He was ordered to resign and was sentenced to 27 months in prison.

Source: https://herit.ag/3f28WCg, bit.ly/2ue1MoD, https://herit.ag/373gCzV

Former Manchester mayor Daugh White pleaded guilty to conspiring to gain public favor by using city purchased asphalt to pave thirty-two private driveways, as part of a scheme to buy votes. He was sentenced to eighty-four months in jail.

Source: https://herit.ag/3l6so4H

Following a jury trial, Reverand Edward Pinkney of Benton Harbor was found guilty of possessing other individuals' absentee ballots and buying votes in a 2005 runoff election. At a local soup kitchen, Pinkney would pay $5 to each poor or homeless person who would fill out an absentee ballot.

Source: https://herit.ag/2Wi17BW

Former Appalachia mayor Ben Cooper and 14 others were convicted of voter fraud after conspiring to manipulate the 2004 elections in his town by buying the votes of residents, offering them cigarettes, beer, and pork rinds. He and his supporters also stole absentee ballots from the mail. This was the largest voter fraud conspiracy to date in Virginia. Cooper was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but the term was suspended after he served two years in jail and another two years in electronic home monitoring detention. Most of the other 14 defendants received suspended sentences or house arrest.

Source: https://herit.ag/3jY1St9, https://herit.ag/3EmHZnf

Knott County Judge-Executive Randy Thompson was sentenced to 40 months in prison for a vote buying scheme involving use of public funds to improve driveways and build bridges on private property. Judge-executive assistants Combs and Champion, as well as a former county magistrate, were also sentenced, receiving 36 months, 18 months, and 32 months, respectively.

Source: bit.ly/2eowvqc

State Senator Johnny Ray Turner pleaded guilty to "non-willfully" making campaign expenditures for the purpose of influencing voters and was sentenced to three months' home detention and one year of probation.

Source: bit.ly/2eAKMNX, https://herit.ag/3BPBFE7

Perry French Harvey pleaded guilty to a charge of scheming to buy votes in the 2004 Logan County Democratic primary. He was sentenced to three years' probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/3x9XESC, https://herit.ag/3zV0k8P

Six Lincoln County Democrats pleaded guilty to charges of participating in a conspiracy to buy votes dating back to 1990. The indictment charged that the six conspired to buy votes in elections held in 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, and 2004 "for the purpose of selecting and electing candidates to the U.S. House of Representatives and in some instances, for the presidency and vice presidency of the U.S." The men paid for votes in liquor and cash, typically $20 per vote, and handed out slates listing preferred candidates. The five also laid gravel on roads for supporters and fixed traffic tickets. Some of their sentences included the following: Vance was sentenced to 30 months of imprisonment, Stowers received six months of imprisonment, and Wandell Adkins received four months in a halfway house.

Source: https://herit.ag/3iRgl8B, https://herit.ag/3f2SFx0

Phillip Slone pleaded guilty to vote buying in a federal election for offering to pay seven voters $50 dollars each for voting in the primary election. He was sentenced to hree years' probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/3f4rZvY, bit.ly/2fwnC07

Ross Harris was found guilty of election fraud for paying voters for their vote. He was spared a prison sentence because of a terminal illness.

Source: https://herit.ag/3zGwFjj, https://herit.ag/2VheWzX, https://herit.ag/3tVrla5

Newton Johnson pleaded guilty to buying votes in the 1998 Knott County primary election.

Source: bit.ly/2eVG0Oa

When his wife was running for the House of Delegates, Mark Oliver Hrutkay, a lawyer and his wife's campaign treasurer, paid $10,000 to a political operative to secure support for his wife's candidacy. He pleaded guilty to mail fraud charges, stemming from his mailing a campaign disclosure form that failed to mention the $10,000 payment. He was sentenced to one year in prison and ordered to pay fines amounting to $45,000.

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

Johnny "Big John" Mendez, former Logan County Sheriff, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to buy votes. Mendez bought votes for himself and a member of the state House of Delegates, making cash payments and offering more money to heads of households who could deliver the votes of all the eligible voters living at a given residence. He was sentenced to a year of home confinement and five years of probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/3BLKvTt, https://herit.ag/3iQEaxr, 2:04-cr-00101-1

Jerry Weaver and Greg Stowers, leaders of a political machine in Lincoln County, pleaded guilty to vote buying charges in connection with a 12-year-long vote fraud scheme. Both men were sentenced to a year in prison.

Source: https://herit.ag/3f2SFx0

Leroy Scott Jr., Lillie Nichols, Terrance R. Stith, and Sandra Stith pleaded guilty to one count each of vote buying. They were given funds from the St. Clair County Democratic Committee in order to buy votes for the upcoming election. Nichols and Mr. Stith were sentenced to four months in prison. Sandra Stith received one year of probation. Scott received 10 months' imprisonment and paid $3,100 in fines.

Source: https://herit.ag/3BL5sOk

A Tallahatchie County jury found William Greg Eason guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit voter fraud and eight counts of voter fraud in connection with his work on Jerome Little's campaign to be District Five Supervisor for Tallahatchie County in a 2003 run-off election. Eason promised items of value (beer and money) to induce people to vote fraudulently by absentee ballot. Eason was sentenced to serve one year in prison for conspiracy to commit voter fraud, and a second year-long sentence plus seven concurrent one-year sentences for the eight counts of voter fraud. Eason's imprisonment totaled two years. His conviction was upheld by the Court of Appeals of Mississippi.

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

Minnie Saulsberry pleaded guilty to both conspiracy to commit voter fraud and voter fraud after she traded beer, gas, and cash for votes in a run-off election for Tallahatchee County supervisor.

Source: https://herit.ag/3i73osb , https://herit.ag/2ULc6Uh, https://herit.ag/2VisqLO

Anita and Valerie Moore, Wayne Shatley, Carlos Hood, and Ross Banner paid people $10 to induce them to register to vote and $25 to induce them to vote for incumbent Caldwell County Sheriff Gary Clark or a straight party ticket for the 2002 election. The Moore sisters pleaded guilty and testified against the others, who were subsequently convicted. A judge sentenced Shatley to the maximum applicable sentence of 33 months in prison due to the "extensive disruption of a government service" that Shatley and his accomplices caused.

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In West Virginia, Johnny Mendez, the sheriff of Logan County, pleaded guilty to federal charges that he accepted $10,000 in illegal contributions and used the money to buy votes in the 2000 and 2004 elections.

Source: https://herit.ag/3i8N2zg

Alvin Ray Porter, Jr., the former police chief of Logan County, pleaded guilty to buying votes during the 2002 Democratic Primary. Porter was one of several Logan County officials who conspired to influence elections in 2002. Porter was sentenced to three years of probation and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine. He also was ordered to give speeches on his personal experiences with corruption to eighth grade civics classes and others.

Source: https://herit.ag/3Go5RIV, https://herit.ag/3nz0Ep5, 2:04-cr-00101-1

Glenn Pitts pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of failure to cast or return a ballot in an authorized manner in connection with the overturned 2003 East Chicago Democratic mayoral primary. Pitts originally claimed that he had been offered $30 in order to hand his ballot to another individual. He initially faced a multitude of charges, including perjury, false application for a ballot, and voting in another precinct, which were dismissed as part of his plea agreement. He was sentenced to 139 days in county jail.

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Knott County Judge-Executive Donnie Newsome was convicted of conspiracy to buy votes and vote buying in the May 1998 Knott County primary election. He was sentenced to 26 months in prison and fined $20,000.

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Willard Smith was convicted of conspiracy to buy votes and vote buying in the May 1998 Knott County primary election. He was accused of paying impoverished, handicapped, illiterate, or otherwise impaired persons to vote for Knott County Judge-Executive Donnie Newsome by absentee ballot. Smith was sentenced to two years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

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Elberta Brown, Leon Hunt, and Tobe Jackson pleaded guilty to three counts of attempted bribery in connection with their involvement in a vote-buying scheme surrounding a 2001 special election for Benton County Sheriff. All three engaged in vote-buying by offering $30 to individuals in an attempt to influence them to vote for Steven A. Thompson, a candidate in that election. Three of the individuals who received the money were undercover law enforcement officers. The investigations indicated that they tried to bribe upwards of 50 people on election day. All three faced a maximum sentence of six years in prison and a $3,000 fine.

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Lincoln Carmouche was convicted of voter fraud in the Marksville mayoral race for bribing a voter. He was sentenced to two years in prison, which was suspended, and two years of supervised probation. He was also fined $2,050 and ordered to perform 64 hours of community service.

Source: https://herit.ag/3l3BRcT

An absentee-ballot buying operation was uncovered in Winston County, Alabama, that led to the conviction of the sheriff, circuit clerk, a district judge, and several candidates for county commission and the board of education. The conspirators set out to buy absentee ballots in the 2000 Republican primary with bribes of cash, beer, and liquor. Judge Richardson pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of failing to report campaign expenditures; the others pleaded guilty to felony charges stemming from the operation. Bailey was sentenced to three years' probation, plus a $1,000 fine and 250 hours of community service. Neal got three years' probation, a $2,500 fine, and 250 hours' community service. Ingram was ordered to serve a year in prison and pay a $1,000 fine. Emerson got two years' probation. Judge Richardson resigned, and received a suspended six-month prison sentence, one year probation, and a $1,000 fine.

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Jackson Jones, Don McCranie and Doyce Mullis, Dodge County sheriff, commissioner, and former commissioner, respectively, were convicted of conspiracy to buy votes. The harshest sentence went to McCranie, who received a 30-month prison term, three years of probation, 150 hours of community service, and $5,000 in fines. Sheriff Jones was sentenced to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Doyce Mullis was sentenced to one year in prison, three years of supervised release, 100 of community service, and a $5,000 fine. They were the last of 27 people to be sentenced in the election fraud case, which state investigators said also included cases of double voting, felon voting, and at least one ballot being cast in the name of a dead person.

Source: https://herit.ag/3f2YD0W

Project Westvote was a massive investigation by the FBI into endemic vote-buying operations in western North Carolina. The operation netted 41 convictions in counties throughout the western part of the state.

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