Willie Reed of Pompano Beach, Florida, was sentenced on Mar. 31 to between two and twenty years in prison for his role in a fraudulent signature collection scheme during the 2022 Michigan gubernatorial primary, according to an announcement from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Judge James Maceroni of the 16th Circuit Court in Macomb County also ordered Reed to pay $333,817 in restitution after a jury convicted him of conducting a criminal enterprise and defrauding four gubernatorial candidates.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about election integrity and candidate access to ballots. According to the official website, the Michigan Department of Attorney General exercises authority throughout Michigan to safeguard residents according to the official website.
Reed and co-defendant Shawn Wilmoth were contracted by or through consultants for campaigns led by James Craig, Perry Johnson, Michael Markey, and Ryan Kelley. The campaigns paid nearly $350,000 for valid nomination signatures but received tens of thousands of forged signatures instead. Wilmoth was previously sentenced earlier this month to four to twenty years’ incarceration.
“The actions of the defendants deliberately undermined our electoral process and denied voters their choices in our primary,” said Attorney General Nessel. “I hope this outcome serves as a deterrent to others who attempt to subvert our system. My department remains committed to defending the integrity of our elections and is pleased that Mr. Wilmoth and Mr. Reed will be held fully accountable for their fraudulent scheme.” Nessel has served as Michigan’s 54th attorney general according to the official website.
Reed was found guilty on multiple charges including conducting a criminal enterprise; several counts related to false pretenses; use of a computer to commit crimes; larceny by conversion; and three counts of election law forgery. The forged signatures were quickly identified by the Michigan Bureau of Elections before being referred for investigation by state authorities.
Accordingly, the Department advances social efforts such as actions against human trafficking while supporting vulnerable populations according to its official website. It also focuses on serving residents through public service initiatives—including drafting laws like Clean Slate for expungement opportunities—and operates with statewide authority across Michigan as reported by its official site.
