ALACHUA COUNTY — A Titusville woman was arrested Jan. 14 for allegedly using personal information from medical marijuana petitions to submit fraudulent voter registration applications.

Teagen Marie Targhuhanuchi, 41, faces multiple felony charges following an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Office of Election Crimes & Security.

Investigators allege Targhuhanuchi, a paid petition circulator for Smart & Safe Florida, collected signatures for ballot initiative 25-01, which seeks to legalize recreational marijuana. She then allegedly used the signees’ personal information to submit voter registration forms without their consent.

“There is no excuse for a mega marijuana corporation and its affiliates to fraudulently hijack Florida’s Constitution,” Attorney General James Uthmeier said. “This behavior is a direct attack on election integrity, and we will hold anyone who commits or participates in these crimes fully accountable.”

The investigation began after a report from the Charlotte County Supervisor of Elections. Officials say Targhuhanuchi attended multiple events to gather signatures before stealing the data.

The defendant faces 12 counts of identity theft, 12 counts of submission of fraudulent voter information, and one count of identity theft involving more than 10 individuals. The Office of Statewide Prosecution will handle the case in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit. Smart & Safe Florida has not released a formal statement regarding the conduct of the contract circulator.

Author: titusvillemedia

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