November 1, 2011
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Tallahassee Regional Operations Center and the Tallahassee office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation today arrested eight individuals in connection with multiple voter fraud violations that occurred in Madison County’s District One School Board race last year.
The investigation began in November 2010 after FDLE was contacted by the Department of State’s Division of Elections regarding possible fraud in the 2010 Madison County election. The complaint noted that the District One School Board race, which was won by candidate Abra “Tina” Hill Johnson, had an extraordinarily disproportionate amount of absentee votes.
The investigation revealed that Johnson and her husband, Ernest Sinclair Johnson, Jr., approached voters and obtained their agreement to vote, after which the voters were asked to sign an “Absentee Ballot Request Form.” Without the voters’ knowledge or consent, an alternate address was handwritten on the form, causing the ballots to be mailed to a third party rather than directly to the registered voters. In 2010, Florida law required ballots to be sent to a voter’s registered address unless the voter was absent from the county, hospitalized, or temporarily unable to occupy their residence. The Johnsons retrieved the ballots from the third party locations, brought the ballots to the voter, waited for the person to vote, and then returned the ballots to the Supervisor of Elections. In some instances, the voters were only presented with the absentee ballot signature envelope to sign and never received the actual ballot to cast their vote.
The Johnsons also secured the assistance of several other individuals to unlawfully obtain absentee ballots directly from the Supervisor of Elections. Despite written notice of penalties of perjury, these individuals signed and submitted an “Affidavit to Obtain Absentee Ballot,” claiming to have been authorized by voter to obtain their absentee ballot. These individuals, however, were unknown to the voters.
Abra “Tina” Hill Johnson, 43, was charged with 10 counts of fraud in connection with casting a vote, and two counts of absentee ballots and voting violations. Her husband Ernest Sinclair Johnson, Jr., 45, was charged with 11 counts of fraud in connection with casting votes, one count of corruptly influencing voting, and one count of perjury by false written declaration. Jada Woods Williams, 34, Madison County Supervisor of Elections, was charged with 17 counts of neglect of duty and corrupt practices for allowing the distribution of these absentee ballots, contrary to Florida state statute.
The following individuals, all residents of Madison, Fla., were arrested for their role in the fraud:
- Judy Ann Crumitie, 51, charged with four counts of fraud in connection with casting a vote, and one count of providing a false report to law enforcement authorities
- Laverne V. Haynes, 57, charged with two counts of fraud in connection with casting a vote, two counts of perjury by false written declaration, and one count of providing a false report to law enforcement authorities
- Ora Bell Rivers, 41, charged with seven counts of fraud in connection with casting a vote, three counts of perjury by false written declaration, and one count of providing a false report to law enforcement authorities
- Raven Simona Williams, 20, charged with two counts of fraud in connection with casting a vote, two counts of perjury by false written declaration, and one count of providing a false report to law enforcement authorities
- Shalonda Michaelle Brinson, 36, charged with nine counts of fraud in connection with casting a vote, and one count of provided a false report to law enforcement authorities.
The case will be prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office, Second Judicial Circuit. The investigation is ongoing and more arrests are possible.
Madison County, Florida Officials Arrested For Voter Fraud
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks