Florida man gets prison for Michigan campaign signature fraud scheme
Mount Clemens A Florida man has been sentenced to spend at least two years in prison for his role in a signature fraud scheme that kept the names of multiple judicial and gubernatorial candidates off the August 2022 primary ballot.
Willie Reed was sentenced Tuesday to two to 15 years in prison and will have to pay more than $333,000 in restitution to Perry Johnson's campaign strategist and candidates Ryan Kelley, James Craig and Michael Markey, but he will not have to serve the sentence until his appeal works its way through the courts.
Reed was found guilty Feb. 9 of forging or allowing the forgery of signatures on nominating petitions and defrauding the August 2022 Republican gubernatorial campaigns of Johnson, Craig and Markey. He also was convicted of stealing from Kelley's gubernatorial campaign.
His codefendant, Shawn Wilmoth, was sentenced to four to 20 years in prison for similar acts. Wilmoth's wife, Jamie Wilmoth, was acquitted of all charges.
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/macomb-county/2026/03/31/florida-man-sentenced-in-michigan-campaign-signature-fraud-scheme/89399710007/