2 Nevada residents charged with conspiring to commit voter registration fraud in Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Two Nevada residents have been federally charged with conspiring to engage in voter fraud in Minnesota, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Friday. 

Minnesota voter fraud charges

What we know:

According to the DOJ, Ronnie Williams, 58, and Lorraine Lee Combs, 57, Nevada residents formerly of Minnesota, have been charged with conspiracy to engage in voter registration fraud. 

Starting in 2021 through 2022, Combs and Williams conspired to fill out fake names and information on Minnesota voter registration applications, the DOJ said. Both signed a form that certified they were aware that giving false information on a voter registration form is a felony that could lead to five years in prison or a $10,000 fine or both. 

Williams then gave the false voter registration forms to a foundation which was seeking to register voters in Minnesota, the DOJ states. The foundation then submitted those voter registration applications to county election offices across Minnesota. 

According to the DOJ, the foundation would then pay Williams, and he would split it with Combs. The foundation is unnamed and referred to only as "Foundation 1" in charging documents. 

FOX 9 has reached out to the DOJ to ask why the foundation isn't named and if the foundation is facing charges.

Combs and Williams were paid contractors "assisting" the foundation with its voter registration campaign, court documents said. 

Timeline:

Court documents state that on Sept. 30, 2022, Combs completed a false voter registration application under the name "Brad Montly" and again on Nov. 1, 2022, under the name "Harry Jhonson". 

These fake voter registration applications included, on top of fake names, fake addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers and social security numbers, court documents allege. 

What we don't know:

Court documents did not say what foundation Combs and Williams worked with. 

It is unknown how many false voter registration applications were filed. 

What's next:

Williams is set to appear for an arraignment and change of plea hearing on July 8. 

Minnesota Secretary of State, federal officials react

What they're saying:

The Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State said no fraudulent ballots were cast in connection with this case. The office partnered with the FBI for over two years on the investigation. 

The office continued by saying that local election officials used verification tools and found inconsistencies in the voter registration forms and informed law enforcement and the Secretary of State's office. The office then worked with "every county election office" to confirm no fraudulent ballots were cast. 

Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon provided the following statement regarding the case: 

"Minnesota’s elections are free, fair, and secure – and these charges reinforce that fact. These charges prove that our systems work. The extensive checks in Minnesota's voter registration process ensured that the fraudulent applications were immediately flagged, and no ineligible votes were cast.

"Our office is deeply grateful for the dedicated election officials across the state and all of our federal partners who protected the integrity of our voter registration system.

"Our message to would-be fraudsters is clear: If you try to trick or scheme your way into registering voters in Minnesota, you will be caught and prosecuted."

Federal officials also reacted to the charges:

"Election fraud strikes at the heart of our democracy," said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. "Thankfully, the FBI stopped this fraud in its tracks, before anyone successfully cast a fraudulent ballot. But we will stay vigilant. Whether its jury bribery, witness tampering, or now election fraud—crimes that threaten our democracy have no place in Minnesota."

"Nothing is more central to our democracy than fair and impartially conducted elections," said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. "Through their actions, Combs and Williams attempted to deprive the citizens of Minnesota of a secure and reliable election process. Along with our partners, the FBI will stop at nothing to identify and bring to justice anyone who threatens the security of our electoral system."