Former candidate pleaded guilty to forgery in Union County election fraud case

A former candidate for mayor of Plainfield admitted Monday, April 27, to bringing a garbage bag filled with 1,000 falsified voter registration applications to a local post office so he could mail them to Union County election officials.

Dr. Henrilynn Ibezim, 71, of Plainfield, pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree forgery before Union County Superior Court Judge Candido Rodriguez Jr., according to the Attorney General’s office.

In return for the plea, the state agreed to dismiss the remaining seven counts of Ibezim’s August 2024 indictment and not to prosecute him for any other crimes he committed in connection to the June 2021 Democratic mayoral primary.

“It is crucial to our system of government that those who engage in illegal and bad-faith conduct during elections be held accountable,” Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said in a statement. “Failing to do so opens the door to a loss of public confidence in the democratic process.”

State prosecutors have said that when Ibezim created the fake voter registration applications, he used citizens’ personal information without their knowledge or authorization.

Many of the applications had handwriting that could be traced back to only three or four writers, Davenport said. Yet the applications did not say they had been completed by anyone other than the voter for whom the application was allegedly submitted.

Ibezim then brought the application-filled garbage bag to an Elizabeth post office because he planned to mail the documents to the county commissioner of registration.

Authorities initially alleged the candidate lied to investigators after the fact, telling them he had spoken to the two people he paid to procure the completed registration forms just before he brought the bag to the post office.

He also allegedly told a witness not to admit anything to the police if they were interviewed.

Ibezim went on to lose the race, reportedly garnering just 103 votes in a city of about 55,000.

State prosecutors initially charged him with election fraud, trafficking in personal identifying information, criminal attempt to commit false registration, tampering with public records, falsifying records, forgery, hindering apprehension or prosecution, and tampering with witnesses and informants.

Ibezim faced serious fines and potential prison time for the offenses, the attorney general said after he was indicted.

But thanks to the plea deal, prosecutors will only recommend that the former politico be sentenced to probation at his June 18 sentencing.