Robert Richard Lynn is seen seated inside a vehicle after his preliminary hearing in Luzerne County Central Court Thursday.
Ed Lewis | Times Leader
Robert Richard Lynn accused of forging dead mother’s name on ballot application
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WILKES-BARRE — Luzerne County prosecutors on Thursday withdrew two felony counts against a Forty Fort man accused of forging the name of his deceased mother on an application for an absentee ballot during the 2020 presidential election.
Prosecutors instead added a third-degree misdemeanor charge of violations relating to absentee or mail-in ballots against Robert Richard Lynn, 67, of Center Street, during his preliminary hearing in Central Court.
Lynn, through his attorney, Joseph Michael Blazosek, waived the misdemeanor charge to county court.
Lynn faces a fine of $2,500 and/or up to two years in jail if he is convicted or pleads guilty.
However, it is likely Lynn will receive a lesser fine and no jail time as he has no criminal record.
County detectives charged Lynn Oct. 21 after the county Board of Elections Office “flagged” an absentee ballot application in the name of Marie P. Hannigan on Sept. 4. The application listed Hannigan’s date of birth, an address on Center Street in Forty Fort, and the reason for the absentee ballot, “visiting great grand kids Oct. 24-Nov. 10,” according to the criminal complaint.
A signature line listed Hannigan’s name.
A database used for voter information listed Hannigan as having died in 2015, and her voter information was changed to deceased on Aug. 21,2015. Hannigan last voted on Nov. 4, 2014, and had her address listed as Crestview Drive in Dallas, the complaint says.
When detectives visited Lynn’s Center Street residence, Lynn was encountered leaving his house.
Lynn admitted to detectives he used a typewriter to complete the absentee ballot application and signed his deceased mother’s name, the complaint says.
Lynn was initially charged with a second-degree felony of forgery and a third-degree felony of interference with an election. Those charges were withdrawn during Thursday’s proceeding before District Judge Daniel O’Donnell who appeared via video conference from his Butler Township magistrate office.
After the hearing, Lynn and his attorney left through a door not normally used by defendants when exiting Central Court.