Corruption Charges Filed Against Former Prince William County Registrar: Attorney General

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA — A grand jury indicted a former Prince William County registrar on charges of election fraud and corruption, the Virginia attorney general's office said Wednesday.

The former registrar, Michele White, is charged with corrupt conduct as an election official, false statement by an election official, and willful neglect of duty as an election official. The charges are related to White's actions between Aug. 1, 2020 and Dec. 31, 2020, according to the attorney general's office.

White resigned from her position as registrar after a Prince William County Electoral Board emergency meeting on March 29, 2021, according to the Prince William Times. Her last day in office was April 9, 2021.

White was hired by the Prince William County government in February 2015. She previously worked as the registrar for Culpeper County, according to a Prince William Times report.

Current Prince William County Registrar Eric Olsen took over the position on Nov. 8, Inside NOVA reported.

The Office of the Attorney General had no further comment on the charges against White since the cases are still open.

Virginia's laws do not provide a firm definition for what counts as corruption for election officials.

The state law notes that false statements from officials is a form of election fraud. "Any willfully false material statement or entry made by any person in any statement, form, or report required by this title shall constitute the crime of election fraud," the Virginia code says.

If convicted of all charges, White could face up to 21 years in prison, based on Virginia's sentencing guidelines.

In Virginia, grand juries consist of five to seven citizens from the locality who hear testimonies from witnesses to determine if there is probable cause to believe that person committed a crime.