SMETHPORT — Two of the four people accused of forging election petitions for the 2019 Bradford City mayoral race were sentenced Thursday in McKean County Court.
Josef G. Godfrey, 29, and Lena Lewis, 26, both of Bradford, pleaded guilty Aug. 22 to allegations that they forged names on election petitions for Slim M. Lewis, 43, of Bradford, who was seeking the Democratic nomination in the May primary as a candidate for Bradford City mayor.
They entered their pleas to charges of forgery and false statements.
Godfrey and Lena Lewis appeared Thursday before Judge Christopher Hauser to be sentenced.
Meanwhile, Slim Lewis has a last-day-to-plea conference set for Oct. 3, and the fourth codefendant, Nikki L. Elliott, 24, of Bradford, had a bench warrant issued when she failed to show up for her last-day-to-plea conference Aug. 22.
Godfrey, who record includes a single theft conviction in 2017, will serve 10 days to one year in McKean County Jail and one year of consecutive probation. Lena Lewis, who has no criminal record, will serve five days to one year in McKean County Jail and one year of consecutive probation.
Each will perform 50 hours of community service and receive a mental health evaluation.
District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer said she felt the misdemeanor grading that the charges carry does not show the significance of the crimes committed.
“The whole system of the election process depends on honest representation,” she explained.
Neither Godfrey nor Lena Lewis made statements on their own behalf prior to sentencing.
Speaking on Godfrey’s behalf, his lawyer, Ridgway attorney John Thomas, said, “Mr. Godfrey appeared here taking responsibilities for the mistakes he’s made in this incident.”
St. Marys attorney Christopher Martini, speaking on behalf of Lena Lewis, said, “She has no criminal history whatsoever,” and noted that when she was interviewed by McKean County detectives during the investigation, she was “forthcoming.”
As the victim was the “the McKean County political community,” Martini asked that Lewis get a more community service hours rather than jailtime as a “way to give back to the community.”
However, Shaffer countered that there were also specific victims: everyone whose name was signed to the petition without their consent.
“People take a lot of pride in signing nomination petitions,” she said.
Hauser noted that Godfrey signed the names of 10 people, and Lena Lewis signed the names of seven people.
Court records indicate Slim Lewis is accused of forging at least 17 signatures, and Elliott, at least nine.
Slim Lewis did not make it to the May primary election ballot, as he withdrew his name from the race in mid-March due to the investigation into the authenticity of the signatures on his petitions.
