ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kimberly McPherson, age 61, of Troy, New York, pled guilty today to identity theft in connection with her casting of absentee ballots in two other people’s names in elections held in 2021.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
McPherson successfully ran for re-election to the Troy City Council in 2021, first in the primary and then in the general election. In pleading guilty to the unlawful possession and use of a means of identification of another person, she admitted that in the primary election, she unlawfully cast an absentee ballot in the name of another person, and that in the general election, she unlawfully cast absentee ballots in the names of two people other than herself.
As part of her plea agreement, McPherson has agreed to resign from the Troy City Council.
McPherson faces up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of 3 years, when she is sentenced by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.