Gov. DeSantis' new Election Crimes and Security unit files 20 voter fraud cases

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis new election policing unit has announced voter fraud charges against 20 people for allegedly committing criminal acts during the 2020 election. The new unit was recently announced to guarantee security in Florida's elections.

The announcement comes as the opening act from the new Office of Election Crimes and Security, which has drawn widespread debate from critics, Democrats and some voting rights groups who have concerns the unit may be misused and weaponized as a political enforcement weapon.

But DeSantis said on Thursday that those charged were previously convicted of serious crimes such as felony sexual offenses or even felony murder and were therefore not eligible to vote despite a recent Florida constitutional amendment that partially restored voting rights to select felons.  Most of the accused were people who voted in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties. 

"They did not go through any process, they did not get their rights restored, and yet they went ahead and voted anyways," DeSantis said to a crowd in Fort Lauderdale. "That is against the law and now they're going to pay for it." 

The new office was created earlier this year as part of an election law bill approved by the Florida legislature. The new unit will review potential voter fraud and conduct initial investigations. The law requires the Florida governor to appoint special officers from the Florida Dept. of Law Enforcement (FDLE) to follow up on those investigations which demonstrate certain elements. 

Former Broward County Supervisor of Elections Peter Antonacci was appointed by DeSantis to lead the unit. He recently announced that more charges were coming and expressed that he was "certain" there were unlawful votes cast in a recent Broward Count congressional election that was decided by only five votes. 

"You'll see more of these actions, and you'll see more of these actions until the people who are behind it quit promoting it and the people that want to take risks know that there is a downside risk to voting when you're not eligible to vote."

Florida Agricultural Commissioner Nikki Fried, a Democratic candidate  running for governor said the announcement was a tool to "intimate voters and suppress turnout in the most Democratic counties in Florida." 

Most of the individuals currently ensnared in the matter are facing third-degree felonies. Those defendants by county are:

Hillsborough County

- Romona Brown, 55, of Tampa, was booked into the Hillsborough County Jail.

- Douglas Oliver, 59, of Tampa, was booked into the Hillsborough County Jail.

- Tony Patterson, 43, of Tampa, was booked into the Hillsborough County Jail.

- Nathan Hart, 49, of Gibsonton, was booked into the Hillsborough County Jail.

- Hubert Jack, 65, of Tampa, was booked into the Hillsborough County Jail.

- Byron Leonard Smith, 65, of Tampa, was booked into Hillsborough County.

 Orange County

- Peter Washington, 59, of Orlando, was booked into the Orange County Jail.

- Michelle Stribling, 52, of Eatonville, was booked into the Orange County Jail.

- Jerry Foster, 72, of Orlando, was booked into the Orange County Jail.

 Palm Beach County

- Leo Grant Jr, 55, of South Bay, was booked into the West Palm Beach County Jail.

- Luis Villaran, 63, of Delray Beach, was booked into the West Palm Beach County Jail.

- Robert Simpson, 64, of Pahokee, was booked into the West Palm Beach County Jail.

 Broward County

- Terry Hubbard, 63, of Pompano Beach, was issued a notice to appear.

- Nathaniel Singleton, 71, of Ft. Lauderdale, was booked into the Broward County Jail.

- Eugene Suggs, 65, of Miami, was booked into the Broward County Jail.

Miami-Dade County

- Robert Lee Wood, 56, of Opa Locka, was booked into Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

- Ronald Lee Miller, 57, of Miami, was booked into Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.