POLK COUNTY, Fla. — An elections office employee noticed her signature on a petition she had never filled out, according to Highlands County sheriffs. That's when deputies say they discovered Winter Haven man had forged signatures on ballot petitions for the 2020 election.
Derrell Crummedy, 21, is facing multiple felony charges related to submitting false voter registration information.
Highlands County Sheriff's Office says the case came to light in August of 2019 when a Supervisor of Elections employee noticed the fraud. When checking the submitted petitions as part of her job, the employee came across her name on petitions for ballot initiatives that she had never signed, according to the report.
Deputies say the elections employee told Sgt. Mike Ahrens that Crummedy had been in front of the government center a week and half earlier and she had signed his petition for the minimum wage amendment, which is how he obtained her signature.
Crummedy was being paid to collect signatures for six ballot initiatives and other fraudulent forms, according to the report. Deputies say he was being paid between $2 to $4 per signature.
Crummedy was confronted as he was collecting signatures in front of the Highlands County Courthouse and confessed to the allegations, the report says.
Highlands County Sheriff's Office says they discovered 404 possible fraudulent forms that could lead to 2,000 felony and misdemeanor charges.
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