Authorities make 5th arrest in alleged District 9 election fraud investigation

BLADEN COUNTY, N.C. — The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation said a fifth person was arrested Thursday in the investigation of election fraud in District 9 in North Carolina.

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Rebecca Thompson was arrested after turning herself in to the Bladen County Sheriff's Office.

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Officials said Thompson has been charged with conspiracy to commit felonious obstruction of justice and possession of absentee ballot.

[ALSO READ: Man at center of District 9 illegal ballot harvesting operation released on bond]

Two more people were arrested Tuesday. Tonia Gordon turned herself in to the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office. Gordon was charged with conspiracy to commit felonious obstruction of justice and possession of absentee ballot.

Matthew Monroe Mathis was arrested in Sampson County.

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Mathis was charged with conspiracy to commit felonious obstruction of justice, possession of absentee ballot and falsely signing the certification on an absentee ballot.

Caitlyn Groom was also charged over the weekend.

The suspected ringleader of the illegal ballot collection operation, McCrae Dowless, was the first person arrested.

Cox Media Group