Trial begins for former Marco Island councilor Rios charged with condo board vote fraud
The trial for former Marco Island City Councilor Victor Rios began this week over allegations that he forged votes to win re-election to a condominium board in 2019.
Rios, 80, is facing a forgery count for altering a public records and three counts of fraudulent use of personal identification information. His trial began Monday in Collier County Court before Judge Christopher Brown. Each of these counts is a third-degree felony, punishable by a maximum of five years in prison.
Rios' attorney did not immediately return a request for comment.
Rios was elected to the Marco Island council in 2014 and resigned mid-term in October 2020, citing "personal reasons." Four months later, authorities charged him with fraud for allegedly fabricating votes to remain on the board of the Belize Condominium Association.
More: Former Marco Island City Councilor charged with forging condo association votes
Rios allegedly altered ballots to make it appear that condo residents who did not vote in the election had voted for him. The election was contentious, and two residents asserted their right to inspect the ballots, according to a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation.
The residents found that some of the ballot envelopes appeared to bear the same handwriting and 12 people who had purportedly voted for Rios told investigators that they had not in fact voted, according to the FDLE report. Forensic testing allegedly found Rios' DNA on the envelopes of the contested ballots.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Victor Rios: Fraud trial begins for Marco ex-councilor Victor Rios
