05-05-2025
1 of 2 suspects in election fraud scandal pleads guilty
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) – In a hearing that lasted less than 10 minutes, Vicki Stuart – one of two suspects in last year's election fraud case – pled guilty for her role in the scheme.
As part of the plea hearing, Stuart had 32 counts dropped. But she pled guilty to one count of identity theft and forgery, respectively. Stuart's other charges included an attempt to influence a public servant.
Stuart said she doesn't dispute charges, telling Judge Brian Flynn, 'I feel guilty for the part I played.'
Stuart and her friend, Sally Maxedon, were accused of stealing residents' ballots, filling them out before turning them in to the Mesa County Clerk and Recorder's Office.
According to the original arrest affidavit, the pair wanted to 'test' the voting signature systems. Stuart worked at the United States Postal Service, and it's believed she took the ballots from USPS for Maxedon to fill out.
As last reported, there were 16 known victims who had their ballots stolen.
Alarm bells started going off at the Mesa County Elections just a few weeks before Election Daily. Staff learned residents received notifications that their ballots were rejected due to signature discrepancies. The voters said they never got their mail-in ballots.
Originally, Maxedon admitted to the scheme while Stuart denied the claims.
Stuart's sentencing hearing will be at 8:30 a.m., June 25. Maxedon will be in court at 9 a.m., Thursday.
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