October 28, 2008
 

    LANSING - Attorney General Mike Cox today announced that his office filed felony forgery charges against Grand Rapids residents Robin Anderson and Patty Beth Wallace in 61^st District Court in Grand Rapids as a result of multiple voter registration application forgeries. 

    Anderson is charged with three counts of forgery resulting from an investigation initiated by the City of Grand Rapids Clerk.  During that investigation, Anderson admitted to the Grand Rapids Police Department that he submitted three falsified voter registration applications in the name of his deceased brother, Andrew, who died in 2001.  Anderson gave the applications to his employer, Community Voter's Project (CVP), between July 30, 2008 and August 15, 2008.  CVP then submitted the applications to the clerk.  Anderson told police he did this in order to meet a quota mandated by CVP. 

    Anderson faces up to 14 years on each count and also faces higher penalties due to his habitual offender status.  In 2006, he was convicted of delivery/manufacture of a controlled substance in 17^th Circuit Court in Kent County.

    Wallace is charged with four counts of forgery resulting from an investigation initiated by the City of Grand Rapids Clerk.  During that investigation, Wallace admitted to the Grand Rapids Police Department that she submitted four fraudulent applications, using other peoples' identities without ever contacting them.  Wallace filled out and turned in the applications to her employer, CVP, who then submitted the applications to the clerk.  Wallace told police she did this in order to meet a quota mandated by CVP.

    Wallace faces up to 14 years on each count, and also faces higher penalties due to her habitual offender status.  In 2005, she was convicted of unemployment compensation fraud in Florida.

    "This kind of criminal activity strikes at the heart of our electoral system," said Cox.  "We are acting quickly to assure Michigan voters that they can trust in the integrity of the electoral process when they vote on Election Day."

    Cox's office received information on these cases from the Secretary of State on October 9^th, and after a thorough review, moved to press charges only 19 days later.

    A criminal charge is merely an accusation and the Defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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