Eatonville Mayor Anthony Grant has been indicted by a grand jury after investigating an election fraud complaint that he bribed voters. A warrant was issued for Grant’s arrest and two others were also indicted by the grand jury. James Randolph and Mia Antoinette Nowells were already arrested, according to State Attorney Jeff Ashton.
Former Mayor Bruce Mount claimed that Grant bribed voters to cast absentee ballots for him in order to win the election. Grant ended up with more than double the number of absentee votes as Mount. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement conducted an investigation after the complaint was filed.
The complaint is very similar to one made against Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Commissioner Sam Ings and their paid campaign operatives in the 2012 municipal election. That complaint was not provided a grand jury as requested, and Jeff Ashton along with FDLE refused to investigate after stalling for eight months.
Grant, Randolph and Nowells were each indicted for one count of conspiring to violate election code, one count of soliciting or attempting to vote fraudulent ballots, one count voting fraud, one count interference with voting registration, two counts of absentee ballot voting violations, six counts of unlawfully mark or designate ballot choice, six counts of violation of Voter Protection Act and six counts of corruptly influence voting by intimidation. Randolph and Grant were each indicted for an additional count of absentee ballot voting violations.
