VERMILLION COUNTY, Ind.–A man from Illinois is accused of committing voter fraud in Vermillion County.
In September 2021, state police say they started investigating a man named Joseph B. Ellis. Ellis is a 52-year-old man from Edgar County, Illinois. They say Ellis was filling out unauthorized absentee ballots in Vermillion County.
“It was discovered that Ellis did own property in Indiana, but his legal residence was not in Indiana. It was actually in Edgar County, Illinois. The investigation was eventually turned over to the Vermillion County Prosecutor’s Office,” said Matt Ames, sergeant with the Putnamville State Police Post.
Special prosecutor David O. Thomas has issued a summons for Ellis to appear in Vermillion County Circuit Court on May 17, 2022 at 1:15 pm.
“If Mr. Ellis fails to appear for the summons, then the judge would put out a warrant for his arrest for failure to appear. He would be taken into custody and transported to the Vermillion County Jail and wait to see what the judge has available for the next available date,” said Adams.
Ellis is facing charges of using an unauthorized absentee ballot, two counts of voting outside his precinct residence, and being an ineligible voter. All of those are level 6 felonies.
LISTEN: Full Interview with Matt Ames
