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Virginia Man Receives 100-Day Sentence for Attempted Voter Fraud in 2016 Election

A voter casts their ballot at a polling station
Getty Images
August 10, 2017

James Madison University student Andrew J. Spieles, who attempted to register deceased and nonexistent individuals to vote for Democrats in the 2016 election, was sentenced for attempted voter fraud Tuesday.

Spieles was sentenced to 100 days in jail for knowingly transferring 18 false Virginia voter registration forms prior to the 2016 election, according to a report from WSET News.

Spieles was paid to register voters in the area during the weeks leading up to the 2016 election. His job was to "register as many voters as possible."

Spieles worked as a staffer for Harrisonburg Votes, a group affiliated with the Democratic Party.

On Aug. 15, 2016, the Registrar's Office contacted law enforcement after an employee in the office noticed a registration form submitted in the name of the deceased father of a Rockingham County judge.

The Registrar's Office subsequently discovered multiple instances of similarly falsified forms. Some of the forms contained the names of deceased individuals while others included incorrect birth dates, middle names, or social security numbers.

Spieles pleaded guilty to the crimes in June, saying he acted alone. The maximum sentence was 120 days.

The court waived any fees associated with the charges due to an inability to pay, and Spieles will not serve any probation following his jail-time.