A Democratic county official in western Virginia has been charged with 82 felonies, scores of them related to election fraud.
Buchanan County Supervisor Trey Adkins was indicted by a grand jury on May 2, according to WJHL-TV in Johnson City, Tennessee.
According to the station, he’s facing 34 counts of making a false statement related to election fraud; 11 counts of violating absentee voting procedure; eight counts of public embezzlement; 11 counts of forgery of public records; 15 counts of uttering related to public records; and three counts of conspiracy to make a false statement related to election fraud.
Court documents cited by WJLH indicate that an investigation into the charges has been ongoing for more than two years. A prosecutor from nearby Russell County has been appointed special prosecutor in the case, which involves the Virginia State Police.
“According to the records, the jury found that the supervisor Trey Adkins falsified absentee ballots and forged signatures to win an election for public office,” WJHL reported.
Adkins first won election to the five-member Buchanan County Board of Supervisors in 2011, according to the Virginia Department of Elections.
The counts of embezzlement stem from allegations that Adkins supplied county-owned gravel to private individuals through his personal construction company.
Adkins’ aunt, Sherry Lynn Bailey, also was charged with 12 felonies in the indictment, according to WJHL.