Teenagers charged with forging signatures on RI gubernatorial candidate's nomination papers
A pair of North Kingstown teenagers are being charged with forging signatures on nomination papers for a gubernatorial candidate they went to school with.
Jamestown police announced Tuesday morning that Owen Lokey and Gracie Flynn, both 18 and of North Kingstown, were charged with providing a false document to a public official under RI General Law 11-18-1 and Conspiracy under RI General Law 11-1-6.
Police said the charges were the result of an investigation following a complaint from the Jamestown Town Clerk's office in which it was alleged Lokey and Flynn "conspired to forge signatures and submitted nomination papers on behalf of Zachary Hurwitz."
Hurwitz, of Narragansett, graduated from North Kingstown High School in June and is scheduled to begin classes at the University of Rhode Island this fall.
He is running as an independent.
The charges against two North Kingstown High School acquaintances comes as Hurwitz is in Tanzania preparing to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, his father Peter Hurwitz told the Journal.
A statement about the charges on Hurwitz's campaign website says it is his "understanding that those signatures were rejected and therefore not included in those that were validated and certified by the Secretary of State.
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"Zachary Hurwitz had no knowledge of Mr. Lokey’s efforts in providing and submitting false signatures, denounces any efforts to subvert the nomination process, and has been cooperating with Investigators. Zach Hurwitz looks forward to continuing his efforts to campaign for RI Governor."
Calls to the state Board of Elections and Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea's office about whether the charges could have any impact on Hurwitz appearing on the ballot had not been returned by early Tuesday afternoon.
In a release, police said the canvasser clerk attempted to verify the two signatures of Jamestown residents and suspected the signatures were forged.
Following an investigation, it was determined the signatures were forged and the form was sworn as truthful by Lokey.
Both Lokey and Flynn turned themselves in and were released with a summons to appear for formal arraignment on Aug. 12.
With reports from Providence Journal staff writer Patrick Anderson
This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: RI governor's race: Teens charged with forging signatures
