New charges filed to marijuana petition case

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — New criminal charges have been filed in an ongoing investigation into petition fraud surrounding the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Regulation and Medical Cannabis Patient Protection initiatives.

Hall County Attorney Marty Klein and Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers announced today that 24 charges of official misconduct have been filed against Jacy Todd, a notary public from York, for allegedly violating state notary laws.

The charges stem from evidence that Todd notarized petition pages without the required presence of petition circulators, including Michael Egbert of Grand Island, who had previously been charged with felony false swearing.

The investigation revealed that Egbert dropped off petition pages at Todd’s business, Herban Pulse, in Grand Island, where Todd allegedly notarized them despite not witnessing the signatures, a violation of Nebraska law.

“Hall County Election Commissioner Tracy Overstreet and her team have taken election integrity very seriously,” said County Attorney Klein, emphasizing the importance of diligent petition verification. Attorney General Hilgers echoed this sentiment, underscoring that notaries play a critical role in maintaining the trustworthiness of the election process.

“Our investigation uncovered a significant abuse of the notary process,” Hilgers stated.

The investigation, led by the Hall County Sheriff’s Office, remains ongoing, with officials indicating that further charges may be filed beyond Hall County.

Hilgers concluded, “We will work with local law enforcement to hold accountable those who interfere with our elections.”