Press Release

Fairbanks Woman Convicted of Forging Signatures in Election Fraud Case

Arpil 26, 2013

The Department of Law announced today that 40-year-old Deborah Carroll, a resident of Fairbanks, Alaska, was sentenced for one count of forgery in the second degree following an investigation by the Alaska State Troopers, Alaska Bureau of Investigation of election fraud.

Ms. Carroll was hired by an independent contractor to collect signatures for an initiative petition for the Alaska Sea Party’s “Establishment of an Alaska Coastal Management Program.” In Ms. Carroll’s case, the independent contractor recognized some inconsistencies with the signatures Ms. Carroll collected. One of the sponsors of the initiative, Bruce Botelho, reported the inconsistencies to authorities.

The investigation resulted in Ms. Carroll being charged with multiple counts, including forgery in the second degree, falsifying business records, unsworn falsification in the second degree, perjury, and improper subscription to petition. Ms. Carroll pled guilty to one count of forgery in the second degree, a class C felony. The remaining charges were dismissed. On April 25, 2013, Fairbanks Superior Court Judge Michael McConahy sentenced Ms. Carroll to serve four years in jail with two years suspended (two years to serve). She was placed on supervised felony probation for a period of three years following her jail service with conditions of probation. Ms. Carroll was also on felony probation for a previous felony theft at the time of the sentencing.

CONTACT: Assistant Attorney General Greggory Olson @ (907) 269-6250 at the Office of Special Prosecutions.

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Department Media Contacts: Communications Director Patty Sullivan at patty.sullivan@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6368. Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6269.