Election Fraud Cases
Details
Leslie Jackson, of Barren County, was charged by the state with one felony count of wrongful registration after her participation in a conspiracy by the Jackson family to bribe voters or obtain blank ballots from registered voters to help elect James "Darrell" Jackson, a Monroe County Constable, to the position of Monroe County Jailor, during the 2022 Republican primary election. The fraud was uncovered after a tip was submitted to the Attorney General's Election Fraud Hotline. Jackson pleaded guilty to the felony charge and was sentenced to one year, suspended for a period of five years pending successful completion of probation.
Source: herit.ag/4dYrsZg , herit.ag/3X0k89e
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Mary Jackson, of Tompkinsville was charged by the state with one felony count of engaging in organized crime, one felony count of second degree forgery, and six felony counts of making or receiving expenditures for voting after her participation in a conspiracy by the Jackson family to bribe voters or obtain blank ballots from registered voters to help elect James "Darrell" Jackson, a Monroe County Constable, to the position of Monroe County Jailor during the 2022 Republican primary election. The fraud was uncovered after a tip was submitted to the Attorney General's Election Fraud Hotline. Jackson pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced to six years, suspended for a period of five years pending successful completion of probation.
Source: herit.ag/4dYrsZg , herit.ag/3X0k89e
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James "Darrell" Jackson, a Monroe County Constable, was charged by the state with one felony count of engaging in organized crime and 5 felony counts of making or receiving expenditures for voting after participating in a conspiracy by the Jackson family scheme to bribe voters or obtain blank ballots from registered voter during the 2022 Republican primary election to help secure his election as Monroe County Jailor. Jackson conspired with at least six others in his scheme. After a tip was submitted to the Attorney General's Election Fraud Hotline, an investigation was started and uncovered the fraud. Jackson pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced to 6 years, with 5 years suspended pending successful completion of probation.
Source: herit.ag/4dYrsZg , herit.ag/3X0k89e
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Tommy McClendon, of Tompkinsville, was charged by the state with four felony counts of making or receiving expenditures for voting after his participation in a conspiracy by the Jackson family to bribe voters or obtain blank ballots from registered voters to help elect James "Darrell" Jackson, a Monroe County Constable, to the position of Monroe County Jailor during the 2022 Republican primary election. He pleaded guilty to all counts and entered a pretrial diversion program for a period of 5 years.
Source: herit.ag/4dYrsZg , herit.ag/3X0k89e
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Bonnie McClendon, of Tompkinsville, was charged by the state with one felony count of first degree perjury and two felony counts of making or receiving expenditures for voting after her participation in a conspiracy by the Jackson family to bribe voters or obtain blank ballots from registered voters to help elect James "Darrell" Jackson, a Monroe County Constable, to the position of Monroe County Jailor during the 2022 Republican primary election. She pleaded guilty to all charges and entered a pretrial diversion program for 5 years.
Source: herit.ag/4dYrsZg , herit.ag/3X0k89e
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Lisa Jackson, of Mount Hernon, was charged by the state with one felony count of engaging in organized crime, 17 felony counts of making or receiving expenditures for voting, and one count of first degree persistent felony offender after her participation in a conspiracy by the Jackson family to bribe voters or obtain blank ballots from registered voters to help elect James "Darrell" Jackson, a Monroe County Constable, to the position of Monroe County Jailor during the 2022 Republican primary election. The fraud was uncovered after a tip was submitted to the Attorney General's Election Fraud Hotline. She pleaded guilty to all counts and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Source: herit.ag/4dYrsZg , herit.ag/3X0k89e
Details
Sherrye Jackson, of Tompkinsville, was charged by the state with one felony count of engaging in organized crime and one felony count of first degree perjury after her participation in a conspiracy by the Jackson family to bribe voters or obtain blank ballots from registered voters to help elect James "Darrell" Jackson, a Monroe County Constable, to the position of Monroe County Jailor, during the 2022 Republican primary election. The fraud was uncovered after a tip was submitted to the Attorney General's Election Fraud Hotline. Jackson, who had prior felony convictions on her record, pleaded guilty to her felony charges and entered a pretrial diversion program for 5 years.
Source: herit.ag/4dYrsZg , herit.ag/3X0k89e
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Jerry Trabona and Kristian "Kris" Hart
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
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Kristian "Kris" Hart and Jerry Trabona
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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
Key & Definitions
Types of Cases
Any case that results in a defendant entering a plea of guilty or no contest, or being found guilty in court of election-related offenses.
A finding by a court of law that fraud occurred in an election, including judicial orders overturning election results or ordering a new election due to fraud.
Any civil case resulting in fines or other penalties imposed for a violation of election laws.
A finding by a government body that fraud occurred in an election, including orders overturning election results or ordering a new election due to fraud.
Any criminal case in which a judge directs a defendant into a pre-trial diversion program, or stays or defers adjudication with the understanding that the conviction will be cleared upon completion of the program.
Types of Voter Fraud
Requesting absentee ballots and voting without the knowledge of the actual voter; or obtaining the absentee ballot from a voter and either filling it in directly and forging the voter’s signature or illegally telling the voter who to vote for.
Illegal registration and voting by individuals who are not U.S. citizens, are convicted felons, or are otherwise not eligible to vote.
Voting in the name of other legitimate voters and voters who have died, moved away, or lost their right to vote because they are felons, but remain registered.
Paying voters to cast either an in-person or absentee ballot for a particular candidate.
Forging the signatures of registered voters on the ballot petitions that must be filed with election officials in some states for a candidate or issue to be listed on the official ballot
Registering in multiple locations and voting in the same election in more than one jurisdiction or state.
Voting under fraudulent voter registrations that either use a phony name and a real or fake address or claim residence in a particular jurisdiction where the registered voter does not actually live and is not entitled to vote.
Changing the actual vote count either in a precinct or at the central location where votes are counted.
Forcing or intimidating voters—particularly the elderly, disabled, illiterate, and those for whom English is a second language—to vote for particular candidates while supposedly providing them with “assistance.”
