Five more charged in voter fraud case

Hudson Hallum (right), D-Marion, is sworn in as the District 54 representative July 21, 2011, in the House Chamber by Arkansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Jim Hannah.
Hudson Hallum (right), D-Marion, is sworn in as the District 54 representative July 21, 2011, in the House Chamber by Arkansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Jim Hannah.

— Five Crittenden County residents were charged Tuesday with using absentee ballots to defraud an election official during three special elections in 2011.

Special Prosecuting Attorney H.G. Foster of Conway filed the charges Tuesday after a nearly year-long investigation that has already resulted in four others, including former state lawmaker Hudson Hallum, pleading guilty in federal court to felony charges.

Those who were charged Tuesday are: Eric Fontain Cox, Amos Sanders, Lisa Burns, Deshay Lorenzo Parker III and Leroy Grant.

Hallum, D-Marion, along with his father, Kent Hallum, West Memphis city councilman Phillip Wayne Carter and West Memphis police officer Sam Malone entered guilty pleas Sept. 5 to charges they plotted to bribe absentee voters to cast ballots for Hallum.

Hudson Hallum resigned on Sept. 12.

Read more on this story in tomorrow's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

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