LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Attorney General Dana Nessel announced charges against three people accused of forgery and other crimes for placing phony signatures on petitions that spoiled the candidacies of five Republicans running for Michigan governor last year.

Shawn and Jamie Wilmoth, both 36, and 37-year-old Willie Reed each face more than 20 charges in a suburban Detroit court, including election forgery and conducting a criminal enterprise.

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The GOP battle for governor boasted close to a dozen candidates last spring. Candidates needed 15,000 signatures from voters to get on the GOP primary ballot.

“These signature-collection firms were being paid nine, 10, 11, 12 dollars per signature,” Nessel said. “There’s nothing that stops these signature-collection firms from hiring people who were convicted felons. You have every incentive to get as many signatures as possible.”

Former Detroit police Chief James Craig and millionaire businessman Perry Johnson were bounced from the August primary ballot after election officials discovered the invalid signatures were discovered.  Three more candidates did not make the primary ballot for similar reasons.

Nessel emphasized no candidate is personally accused of knowingly submitting fraudulent petitions.

The Wilmoths were due in court Thursday afternoon while authorities are on the lookout for Reed.

Tudor Dixon won the August 2022 gubernatorial nod but lost to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in November. Perry Johnson appears to have moved on and is campaigning for president.