A 26-year-old Florida woman has been convicted in a petition fraud scheme that prosecutors say undermined the integrity of the state’s electoral process.
Maria Guadalupe Bautista was found guilty by a jury on 13 counts of Fraudulent Use of Personal Information after investigators uncovered that she falsified petition signatures using stolen voter information — including that of a sitting elected official.
Fraud uncovered in casino gaming petition
The case began in November 2021, when the Marion County Supervisor of Elections, Wesley Wilcox, alerted prosecutors to suspicious petition forms tied to a proposed Constitutional Amendment 21-16, which sought to expand casino gaming.
Election staff discovered petitions that didn’t match voter rolls and flagged forms bearing Bautista’s name as a paid circulator. Among them were signatures from deceased voters, raising further red flags.
Investigation and confession
State Attorney’s Office Investigator Jeff Pfannerstill and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) joined forces to investigate. FDLE Inspector Adam Graff later confronted Bautista at her Gainesville address.
Bautista admitted to working for a political action committee after answering a Craigslist job ad. When shown a fraudulent petition form, she acknowledged that the signature on it was hers. One of the falsified forms even contained the personal information of a Marion County elected official.
Prosecutors call it a win for election integrity
“Election integrity is a cornerstone of our democratic process,” said Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Bill Gladson. “We remain committed to holding individuals accountable for crimes that undermine public trust.”
Attorney General James Uthmeier called the verdict a victory for Florida:
“This fraud is a way to run around the state’s legislative process and turn Florida’s Constitution into a playground for political gamesmanship, and it’s unacceptable.”
Sentencing ahead
Bautista faces a minimum mandatory three-year prison term, with sentencing scheduled following a presentence investigation.
The State Attorney’s Office credited the collaborative efforts of FDLE, its own investigators, the Department of Elections, and the Attorney General’s Office for bringing the case to trial.
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