A former Democratic mayoral candidate in Plainfield, New Jersey, has pleaded guilty to forging voter registration applications connected to the 2021 Democratic primary election.
Henrilyn Ibezim, 71, admitted to the charge as part of a case stemming from his candidacy in that election cycle.
Ibezim ran on the Unity Party ticket during the primary, according to reporting.
New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced in a press release Thursday that Ibezim entered his guilty plea earlier in the week.
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He was charged with one count of third-degree forgery.
“Under the terms of his plea agreement with the Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA), the State agreed to dismiss the remaining counts in the indictment and to not prosecute the defendant for any other disclosed criminal violations arising out of his conduct during the Democratic primary for mayor in June 2021,” the attorney general’s office said.
Prosecutors indicated they will recommend a sentence of probation.
According to the charges, Ibezim was accused of attempting to submit a large number of fraudulent voter registration applications.
BREAKING: Former NJ mayoral candidate Henrilynn Ibezim (D) pleaded guilty to forging nearly 1,000 voter registration applicationsThe thing that never happens happened again! pic.twitter.com/JmoP55OLZK
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Investigators alleged that he brought a garbage bag containing approximately 1,000 falsified applications to a post office in Elizabeth, New Jersey, with the intent to mail them to the Union County Commissioner of Registration.
The applications were alleged to contain personal identifying information of individuals without their consent.
Authorities said many of the forms appeared to be written by only a small number of individuals.
The applications also did not include required disclosures indicating that someone other than the voter had completed them.
The attorney general’s office detailed the allegations in its statement, noting the methods used in the submission of the documents and the inconsistencies found in the applications.
In her statement on the case, Davenport emphasized the importance of maintaining integrity in elections.
“My office is determined to ensure elections are fair and that their outcomes are determined by the will of the voters. It is crucial to our system of government that those who engage in illegal and bad faith conduct during elections be held accountable. Failing to do so opens the door to a loss of public confidence in the democratic process,” she said.
The case comes amid broader scrutiny of election-related prosecutions handled by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability.
According to the New Jersey Globe, the development follows another case involving Paterson Councilman and mayoral candidate Alex Mendez.
A judge dismissed a voter fraud indictment against Mendez nearly six years after charges were initially filed.
The outlet reported criticism of the office’s handling of that case, stating, “Despite the bravado in its announcement of charges, it took the OPIA two and a half years to deliver what appears considerably less than its initial bravado.”
Election results from the 2021 primary show that Ibezim finished fourth, receiving 103 votes.
The case has drawn attention alongside other reported instances of voter fraud across the country.
Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel said in September that the agency is treating voter fraud as a significant issue.
Additional cases have been reported in recent months.
One involved a Mexican national who was re-elected as mayor of Coldwater, Kansas, and was accused of repeatedly committing voter fraud, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Another case in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, involved a criminal illegal alien who was charged with voter fraud.
These developments have occurred as President Donald Trump has called on Republican lawmakers to strengthen election security measures.
The administration has promoted the SAVE America Act, which the White House has described as “one of the most critical pieces of legislation in our nation’s history” and “overwhelmingly popular” with Americans.
According to reporting, the proposed legislation would require voter identification to cast a ballot, proof of citizenship to register to vote, eliminate universal mail-in ballots, include provisions related to women’s sports, and establish restrictions on certain medical procedures for minors.
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