A man who attempted to run for Morgantown City Council in 2019 pleaded guilty Thursday in Monongalia County Circuit Court to falsely filing a certificate of nomination.
Judge Phillip Gaujot did not accept Timothy Aaron Metz’s plea, as the agreement called for a two-year, pre-trial diversion and probation. That plea can be accepted and Metz sentenced to 1-5 years in prison should he violate the terms of the diversion. If Metz successfully completes the diversion, a hearing is scheduled for January 2023, where he will then plead to false swearing, a misdemeanor.
A second felony charge of false or fraudulent election return, signatures, was dismissed by Gaujot as part of the plea agreement.
On Feb. 11, 2019, Metz submitted an eight page nominating petition, which requires a certain number of signatures from residents to be obtained, certified as true and submitted to the city to appear on the ballot, Monongalia County Prosecutor Perri DeChristopher said.
A clerk for Morgantown noticed one of the signatures belonged to Heidi Staffel, a woman she knew had died and the issue was referred to the secretary of state’s office.
The secretary of state investigator then began to interview all 92 people whose names appeared on the petition and stopped before interviewing them all after a large number of people said they never met Metz or signed the petition, DeChristopher said.
According to a press release Thursday by Secretary of State Mac Warner, 21 of the signatures were found to be false.
“Election fraud at any level of government will never be tolerated in West Virginia,” Warner said. “Our office will continue to work closely with local election officials and county prosecutors to make sure election improprieties are properly investigated and those people found guilty are held accountable.”
In March 2019, Metz withdrew from the council race and said he “cut corners” and made a “stupid mistake” when it became clear he wasn’t going to get the required number of signatures.
