2 Florida Men From Trump-Loving Villages Charged With Voter Fraud

Two Florida men admitted to casting more than one ballot in the 2020 presidential election and have agreed to attend adult civics lessons as part of a deal with prosecutors.

Charles Franklin Barnes Jr., 64, and Jay Richard Ketcik, 63, are both residents of The Villages, a Sumter County retirement community famous for its residents’ seemingly boundless support for Donald Trump, who continues to baselessly claim that widespread voter fraud cost him a second term. There is no evidence that voter fraud occurred in the last presidential election at a scope beyond the usual small number of cases ― let alone enough to tip the scales of history.

Ketcik is a registered Republican, according to public records, while Barnes has no official party affiliation.

Voter fraud is a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

Both men agreed to enter into a pretrial diversion program with State Attorney Bill Gladson, according to court documents obtained by HuffPost. The agreement, meant for first-time and nonviolent offenders, means they can avoid jail time if they stick to the requirements.

Barnes and Ketcik must complete 50 hours of community service, meet regularly with a supervising officer and agree not to consume excessive alcohol or illegal drugs in order to avoid further prosecution.

They must also attend a 12-week adult civics class based on a specific textbook ― “We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution” by Florida educator Doug Oswald ― that meets two hours a week. The pair must pass the class with a C grade or better.

“If the defendant violates the terms of this agreement, and the case is returned to the court’s docket, this document shall be admissible as an admission of guilt,” Gladson instructed each of the men.

Gladson’s office received a tip from an anonymous individual about possible voter fraud that led to the arrest of several Sumter County residents, including Ketcik, local news station WKMG-TV reported in December.

Two others from The Villages, 61-year-old John Rider and 72-year-old Joan Halstead, have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.