On Tuesday, Willie Reed, of Pompano Beach, Florida, was sentenced by Judge James Maceroni in the 16th Circuit Court in Macomb County to 24 months to 240 months’ incarceration after being convicted by a Macomb County jury of conducting a criminal enterprise and defrauding gubernatorial candidates James Craig, Perry Johnson, Michael Markey, and Ryan Kelley in the 2022 election cycle, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Reed was also ordered to pay $333,817 in restitution to the victims.
The candidates contracted, directly or through intermediary consultants, with businesses owned and operated by Reed and co-defendant Shawn Wilmoth, of Warren, for the fulfillment of their nomination signature requirements to appear on the August 2022 primary ballots. In total, Reed charged the campaigns nearly $350,000 for valid signature collection, then knowingly delivered tens of thousands of forged signatures on nomination petitions to the campaigns. Wilmoth, who was convicted alongside Reed, was sentenced to 4 to 20 years’ incarceration earlier this month.
“The actions of the defendants deliberately undermined our electoral process and denied voters their choices in our primary,” said 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.”
Reed was found guilty of:
• One count of Conducting a Criminal Enterprise.
• Two counts of False Pretenses, $100,000 or more.
• One count of False Pretenses, $50,000 to $100,000.
• Three counts of Use of a Computer to Commit a Crime, $20,000 or more.
• One count of Use of a Computer to Commit a Crime, $1,000 to $20,000.
• One count of Larceny by Conversion, $1,000 to $20,000.
• Three counts of Election Law Forgery.
The forgeries were quickly detected by the Michigan Bureau of Elections. The Department of State then referred the matter to the Department of Attorney General for investigation in June of 2022. Nessel charged Reed and Wilmoth in September 2023.
The candidates contracted, directly or through intermediary consultants, with businesses owned and operated by Reed and co-defendant Shawn Wilmoth, of Warren, for the fulfillment of their nomination signature requirements to appear on the August 2022 primary ballots. In total, Reed charged the campaigns nearly $350,000 for valid signature collection, then knowingly delivered tens of thousands of forged signatures on nomination petitions to the campaigns. Wilmoth, who was convicted alongside Reed, was sentenced to 4 to 20 years’ incarceration earlier this month.
“The actions of the defendants deliberately undermined our electoral process and denied voters their choices in our primary,” said 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.”
Reed was found guilty of:
• One count of Conducting a Criminal Enterprise.
• Two counts of False Pretenses, $100,000 or more.
• One count of False Pretenses, $50,000 to $100,000.
• Three counts of Use of a Computer to Commit a Crime, $20,000 or more.
• One count of Use of a Computer to Commit a Crime, $1,000 to $20,000.
• One count of Larceny by Conversion, $1,000 to $20,000.
• Three counts of Election Law Forgery.
The forgeries were quickly detected by the Michigan Bureau of Elections. The Department of State then referred the matter to the Department of Attorney General for investigation in June of 2022. Nessel charged Reed and Wilmoth in September 2023.
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