A federal grand jury has indicted two people in Monroe County for buying votes during the 2014 election.
Betty Jane Best, also known as Betty Hawkins, and Brian Keith Hodge, also known as "Wormy," were taken into custody on Friday. They are indicted on one count of conspiracy to buy votes and 13 counts of vote buying.
Best and Hodge made their initial appearance in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee in Knoxville on Friday.
They have pleaded not guilty, and were released without bond on Monday, court records show.
A federal indictment was filed against the two on Feb. 7, but was initially sealed. The indictment was unsealed Monday.
According to the indictment, Best and Hodge "agreed to pay and to offer to pay persons for voting in an election held in part to elect a Member of the United States Senate" in August 2014.
The indictment did not specify which candidate or race Best and Hodge attempted to pay people to vote.
A trial date is set for April 24, 2017.
