KNOXVILLE—The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has investigated a case of illegal voter registration fraud in Scott County, which resulted in the indictment and arrest of an Oneida couple, authorities said.
Thirty-seven-year-old Christina Botts and her husband, Carrie Botts, 29, were arrested Tuesday evening on indictments returned by the Scott County grand jury on Tuesday, the TBI said in a Wednesday press release. Christina Botts was indicted on 13 counts of illegal voter registration fraud, and Carrie Botts was indicted on one count of illegal voter registration fraud.
In October 2012, the 8th Judicial District Attorney General asked TBI to investigate allegations of the couple fraudulently registering voters in Scott County. Christina Botts allegedly registered 43 people during September 2012, and Carrie Botts allegedly registered one person and forged a signature on the voter registration application. They were altering address information on voter registration forms so it would appear the people lived in the city of Huntsville, the TBI said. The Scott County Sheriff’s Office was also involved in the case.
The press release said both were taken into custody at a relative’s residence in Helenwood on Tuesday. Christina Botts was booked into the Scott County Jail on $25,000 bond. Carrie Botts’ bond was set at $1,500.
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