A former Monroe County reserve deputy has pleaded guilty to buying votes in a 2014 election.
Brian "Wormy" Hodge and Betty Best were indicted in 2017 in what authorities say was a scheme to help elect Randy White, a Republican candidate for Monroe County sheriff.
This week, Hodge agreed to plead guilty to a federal charge of conspiracy to pay people for their votes in a race that White eventually won, though he was later removed from office because he wasn't certified to be on the ballot.
According to the plea agreement, Hodge said he recruited Best to help identify people in Monroe County that could vote by absentee ballot. Those people were usually paid $20 in cash to send in their vote for White.
Hodge also faced 13 counts of buying votes and witness tampering, but those charges will be dismissed as part of the plea. The crime carries a punishment of up to 5 years in prison, 3 years of probation, and a $250 thousand dollar find. Hodge will be sentenced on December 19.
Best pleaded guilty to the same charge in 2017.
White once again ran for Monroe County sheriff this year, but was defeated in the Republican primary.
