A Democratic Party candidate is facing multiple felony charges, all related to alleged voter fraud.
Terry Andrew Heflin, a 45-year-old running for a commission seat in Clay County, Alabama, was taken into custody Tuesday on seven charges related to the illegal use of absentee ballots, as stated by the Alabama Attorney General’s office. Each charge carries a possible prison sentence of one to ten years.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced the arrest a day after Heflin voluntarily surrendered to authorities.
The statement from Marshall’s office provided limited information about the circumstances surrounding the alleged voter fraud.
“[Heflin] was charged with 7 counts of unlawful use of absentee ballots,” the release said.
“Specifically, the indictment alleges that Heflin falsified applications to vote absentee for multiple people and then used those people’s names to vote for himself by absentee ballot.”
“The case is being prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Division,” the release continued. “No further information about the investigation or about Heflin’s alleged crimes may be released at this time.”
The arrest was also used by other state officials to emphasize the importance they place on election security.
“I have been traveling this state and talking about absentee ballot application fraud and absentee ballot election fraud for years,” Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen said. “I have been clear from day one that I take election fraud seriously, and I was not kidding.”
“When my office was made aware of what was happening in Clay County, we immediately referred the case to Attorney General Marshall for criminal prosecution.”
Heflin is currently listed as an inmate in the Clay County Jail, with his mugshot and a long list of voter fraud charges detailed on the roster.
According to AL.com, the alleged fraud took place during the March primaries.
Heflin’s primary race was close, with Decision Desk HQ reporting that he won the runoff by a narrow margin of just 43 votes.
The seven fraudulent votes Heflin is accused of casting for himself do not cover the entire margin, but the state’s investigation could lead to additional charges against Heflin or others.
Heflin has had legal troubles in the past.
In 2021, Heflin pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and was sentenced to five years in prison.
He served just two years of that sentence.
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