INDIAN RIVER COUNTY – The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has affectively ended its investigation into allegations of elections fraud from the County Commission District 2 campaign of candidate Charlie Wilson.
“There are no allegations against Charlie – none, none,” said FDLE spokeswoman Carol Frederick, from the Orlando bureau that investigated the case.
She stopped short of saying that Wilson had been cleared because – for FDLE’s purposes – he was never charged or implicated with forging signatures on petitions.
Though the case is still technically active – it is so only pending prosecution of two people who are charged with forgery.
Those law enforcement deemed responsible are “in cuffs,” Frederick said. “That stands for itself.”
Wilson’s son and his son’s girlfriend were arrested on petition fraud and forgery charges in June.
The only one to implicate commission candidate Wilson in the possible forgery was Supervisor of Elections Kay Clem, who filed a complaint with FDLE.
In her complaint, Clem wrote, “Further, it appears the same person is signing all the petitions. The petitions resemble the candidate’s signature.”
Clem could not be reached for comment.
FDLE spokeswoman Kristen Chernosky, of the Tallahassee bureau, said that there was nothing in the department’s investigation tying Wilson to the signatures.
“At this time, FDLE is not investigating Charlie Wilson on this matter,” she said.
Wilson said that he was “glad to hear” that FDLE was not investigating him.
“I’ve been waiting for it for a long time,” he said of some official word on the case.
Wilson added that it will be up to the voters of Indian River County to decide if he should earn a seat on the Board of County Commissioners’ dais, noting that this is the sixth or seventh time he has faced false accusations.
Wilson is running for the District 2 County Commission seat and will face off against incumbent Joe Flescher and former Sebastian City Councilwoman Dale Simchick in the Republican primary in August. The winner of the primary will face Carolyn Corum, a former Republican-turned-Independent, and Democrat David Snell in the November general election.
