Three residents of The Villages were recently arrested and face charges of casting more than one vote during the 2020 election, according to arrest reports provided by the office of Ocala-based State Attorney Bill Gladson. Joan Halstead, Jay Ketcik and John Rider all face felony charges.
The complainant against the three was listed by the office of Sumter County Supervisor of Elections Bill Keen. When reached by the Orlando Sentinel, the office declined to comment, citing “an active investigation.”
It is unclear which candidate the three voted for. A spokesperson for Gladson’s office declined to release more details on the recent allegations.
“Until we complete initial discovery on the cases, that is all I am able to release,” Chief Assistant State Attorney Walter Forgie stated.
State voter records show Halstead and Ketcik are registered Republicans. Rider has no party affiliation.
Joan Halstead was arrested recently for voting in person in Florida on Oct. 20, 2020 and casting an absentee ballot in New York, according to an arrest report. She was booked into the Sumter County Detention Center Nov. 29 and released on $2,000 bond. She has entered a not guilty plea and said in court papers she intends to attack “the sufficiency” of the charge.
Jay Ketcik was arrested as well on a charge of third-degree felony fraud. He entered a not guilty plea, and court records show he also intends to “attack the sufficiency of the charge.” An arrest report did not detail why he was charged, but Orlando television station WKMG, citing court documents, reported he was accused of voting by mail in Florida in October 2020 while also casting an absentee ballot in Michigan.
John Rider was arrested by Brevard County deputies on Dec. 3 at a cruise terminal in Port Canaveral and released on a $2,000 bond, court records show. Rider is accused of voting in person in Florida on Oct. 28, 2020 and then casting an absentee ballot in New York, according to an arrest report.
Prosecutors declined to say if any of the three knew each other.