In an effort to crack down on public corruption in St. Clair County, State’s Attorney Brendan Kelly developed the Public Integrity Task Force.
Focusing on election fraud cases, the task force has reached three election fraud convictions and recently charged three more individuals suspected of perjury so far this year.
“I do not believe we should make it more difficult for people to vote, but easier, and if someone cheats we need to have the resources like this task force to enforce the law,” Kelly stated in an email. “Same day registration was criticized by some but in this last election, it helped those same people that criticized. I think the more people participate, the better.The more resources we have to protect against the cheaters, the better.”
Aunye Mabry, 28, of Belleville was charged with a class 3 felony for perjury after allegedly asserting that the signatures on a candidate petition for the April 4 consolidated election were signed in her presence between Dec. 16 and 19, 2016. She was arrested March 23.
Mabry plead guilty on Aug. 22 and was sentenced to 18 months of probation and 40 hours of community service. Mabry also agreed to forfeit any public office or employment during probation.
She was originally accused of both forgery and perjury, according to the March 23 criminal complaint.
Steveland Kidd, 30, of Alorton was charged with a class 3 felony for violation of absentee ballots after he allegedly unlawfully took absentee ballots of a voter for deposit into the mail between March 6 and 14, 2013.
Kidd plead guilty on March 7 and was sentenced to 30 months of probation and 30 hours of community service. He was also barred from campaign activities while on probation.
Brian McDouglar, 40, of Cahokia was charged with a class 3 felony for marking or tempering with absentee ballots in St. Clair County after he allegedly unlawfully took absentee ballots from voters for deposit into the mail from March 1 through 21, 2015.
McDouglar was found guilty on March 20 and was sentenced to two years in jail for each of the three counts. His sentences are to be served concurrently.
In addition to the three convictions, three more individuals were charged earlier this month for election fraud.
Calvin C. Borders of North County, Candice N. Borders of Madison and Calvin Borders Jr. of Madison were all charged with perjury on Sept. 7 for allegedly asserting that they were registered to vote from 407 Jefferson Street in Brooklyn, Ill., and qualified to vote on a voting application for the April 4 consolidated election.
Each of their bonds have been set at $5,000.