Handcuffs, Source: Pexels The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) arrested three paid petition circulators last week for petition fraud c
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) arrested three paid petition circulators last week for petition fraud crimes across the state.
Together, the circulators submitted dozens of falsified marijuana and gambling initiative petitions.
The arrests culminated from multiple statewide investigations led by FDLE’s Election Crime Unit (ECU) inspectors working with the Florida Department of State Office of Election Crimes and Security (OECS), and with assistance from local elections supervisors.
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“Our elections process, whether it be for candidates or ballot initiatives, must remain free from those who would commit voter fraud to champion an initiative or candidate. In this case, paid petition circulators were trying to game the voting system. Our Election Crime Unit, working with the Department of State’s Office of Election Crimes and Security, is committed to thwarting these attempts. These illegal activities will not be tolerated,” said FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass.
“The Florida Constitution is a sacred document by which Florida’s government, voters and citizens are adjudicated. Florida Law lays out a detailed process by which issues can be submitted to Florida’s voters for consideration before they are added to Florida’s Constitution. To fraudulently misappropriate this process for personal gain is not only illegal but also violates the trust of law-abiding Floridians across the state,” said Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd.
Zachary Paul Dworsky, 34, of Miami, was arrested and booked into the Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation Department on Dec. 13 for 15 felony counts each for criminal use of personal identification information and signing another person’s name or a fictitious name to a petition. Dworsky falsified petitions for ballot #22-05 Adult Personal Use of Marijuana.
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David Lennard Simmons, 49, of Clewiston, was arrested and booked into the Hendry County Jail on Dec. 13 for 17 felony counts for fraudulent use of personal identification information of a deceased individual. Simmons falsified petitions for ballot #21-16 Limited Authorization of Casino Gambling.
Natalie Marie Marrero, 33, of Orlando, was arrested on an FDLE arrest warrant by the Winter Park Police Department and booked into the Orange County Jail on Nov. 27 for 16 felony counts each for fraudulent use of personal identification information and false swearing of voter registration information. Marrero falsified petitions for ballot #22-05 Adult Personal Use of Marijuana.
Additional charges may be filed pending the completion of the investigations.
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