Helena, Arkansas – Eight individuals in Phillips County are now facing felony charges tied to efforts to influence the outcome of a local election, after a state investigation uncovered actions that officials say violated election laws.
Attorney General Tim Griffin announced that the arrests stem from an investigation into the 2024 primary runoff election for the Justice of the Peace District 9 seat. According to officials, all eight individuals turned themselves in after warrants were issued by agents from the Attorney General’s Special Investigations Division.
“Eight people in Phillips County recently turned themselves in after agents in my Special Investigations Division obtained warrants for their arrest on felony charges related to a runoff election for the Phillips County Justice of the Peace seat for District 9. Lita Moore Johnson, 62, a teacher at Marvell School District who won the runoff election for the Justice of the Peace seat, was one of the individuals arrested after evidence was submitted that she told multiple voters to illegally change the address on their voter registration so that they could vote for her in the runoff. Johnson was charged with two counts of solicitation to commit perjury, a class D felony.
“Seven other individuals were charged with perjury, a class C felony, for fraudulently changing their address on an Arkansas Voter Registration Application. Each of them voted in the precinct corresponding with the District 9 Justice of the Peace runoff despite their actual address dictating that they vote elsewhere. They are:
Mearion Armstrong, 68, retired
Cordelia Foster, 60, an elementary teacher at KIPP Public School in Helena
Shirley Hicks, 56, a custodian at Barton School District
Jasean Smith, 30, a teacher at Central High School in Helena and the pastor of Galilee Church
Adam Swopes, 26, a lieutenant with the Arkansas Department of Corrections
Rachel Gamble Sykes, 56, Arkansas Crime Information Center coordinator for the Phillips County Sheriff’s Office
Jocelyn Washington, 39, who works at the Phillips County Development Center
“Keeping Arkansas’s elections the most secure in the country requires vigilance and perseverance, and I am pleased to see these individuals held accountable for their actions. I am grateful for the outstanding work done on these cases by my Special Investigations Division and Special Prosecutions Division.”
Investigation reveals coordinated election violations
The case centers on actions taken during the 2024 runoff election, where authorities say voters were directed to alter official records in order to cast ballots in a district where they did not actually reside. Investigators determined that several individuals changed their addresses on voter registration applications, allowing them to vote in the District 9 race despite living outside the required area.
Lita Moore Johnson, who ultimately won the runoff election, is accused of encouraging that behavior. The charges against her involve allegedly asking others to make false statements related to their voter registration, which led to two counts of solicitation to commit perjury.
The seven additional individuals are each charged with perjury, tied to the act of submitting false information on official election documents. Officials say each person knowingly altered their address to gain access to a ballot in the contested race.
Officials stress accountability and election integrity
State officials emphasized that the investigation reflects ongoing efforts to protect election integrity. By focusing on violations tied to voter registration and ballot eligibility, authorities say they are working to ensure that election outcomes are based on lawful participation.
The Attorney General’s office credited both the Special Investigations Division and the Special Prosecutions Division for their work in building the case and bringing charges forward.
With all eight individuals now facing felony charges, the case highlights the legal risks tied to election-related misconduct and signals continued enforcement efforts aimed at maintaining trust in the voting process.
