by Cole Lauterbach
Police in a Los Angeles-area city are investigating how an armed felon ended up in possession of hundreds of ballots for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Sept. 14 recall election.
The Torrance Police Department announced it had received a report from a convenience store employee of a man sleeping in his car parked near the building the night before.
When they arrived, they found a known felon in possession of a loaded semiautomatic pistol, methamphetamine, thousands of pieces of mail, multiple California driver’s licenses and credit cards in other individuals’ names. Among the mail were about 300 mail-in ballots. A police spokesperson told KTLA the ballots were addressed to residents in nearby Lawndale and Compton.
The department said the man is facing weapons, narcotics and forgery charges.
“This case is currently being investigated by our Special Investigations Division in partnership with the U.S. Postal Service and the LA County District Attorney Public Integrity Unit,” the department said. “Investigators are trying to figure out how the election ballots ended up in the suspect’s vehicle and what their intent was in having them.”
TPD said the voters identified would receive new ballots. The department asks anyone with any information on the arrest to call them at 310-328-3456. The spokesperson said the department doesn’t suspect the incident to be a part of a broader scheme to defraud the election.
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Cole Lauterbach is a regional editor for The Center Square.
Photo “Found Recall Ballots” by Torrance Police Department.
