Attorney General says 33-year-old petition gatherer was abusing personal information of those signing petitions.
James Uthmeier’s[1] office is charging a Winter Springs man with dozens of criminal counts related to work on a petition drive for a measure that went before Florida voters in November, 2024.
The Attorney General said that an investigation by his office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE[2]) ended in the arrest of a 33-year-old man. Alexander Dean Francis was arrested on Aug. 28 on 38 counts of criminal use of personal identification information.
Francis was arrested on charges that took place in Flagler County for what law enforcement officials say was illegal activity in petition drives last year on the Amendment 3[3] ballot initiative. Francis was gathering information in favor of Amendment 3, which would have legalized recreational use of cannabis in Florida.
A news release[4] published by Uthmeier said Francis was a paid petition circulator who gathered signatures for the proposed Florida Constitutional Amendment and was backed by Smart and Safe Florida[5], a group supporting the amendment that required 60% approval by state voters to be enacted. The measure did not meet that threshold at the polls in the Nov. 5 state-wide ballot.
According to the investigation by Uthmeier’s office and the FDLE, Francis submitted “hundreds of fraudulent petitions” to several Supervisor of Elections offices in the state. Many of those were in Flagler County, which is just south of St. Augustine.
Investigators allege that some 35 victims, many who are older than 60, claim their personal information was stolen and used without their knowledge or consent.
“Targeting seniors and exploiting their identities to commit voter fraud and change our state’s constitution is abhorrent and an affront to our republican form of government,” said Uthmeier. “My office will continue to hold petition fraudsters accountable and protect the sanctity of the Florida Constitution.”
Francis is facing more than 30 charges of criminal use of personal identification information, which is a first-degree felony. He’s also charged with 37 counts of using the personal identification of a victim over 60 years old, which is a second-degree felony.
Uthmeier’s Statewide Prosecution division is handling the case. Francis could face up tot 30 years in prison with a 10-year mandator minimum behind bars if convicted and a combined 585 years combined for all charges.
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References
- ^ James Uthmeier’s (www.myfloridalegal.com)
- ^ FDLE (www.fdle.state.fl.us)
- ^ Amendment 3 (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ news release (www.myfloridalegal.com)
- ^ Smart and Safe Florida (dos.elections.myflorida.com)