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From the Office of Warren County Prosecuting Attorney David P. Fornshell
WARREN COUNTY, OH -- Warren County Prosecutor David P. Fornshell announced that Xezakia Rouse, 41, of Lebanon, was convicted yesterday by a Warren County jury of 12 counts of election falsification (F5) and 12 counts of forgery (F5) in Warren County Common Pleas Court.
In 2023 and 2024, Rouse was employed by Advanced Micro Targeting to circulate an initiative petition in support of an amendment to the Ohio Constitution to replace the current redistricting process. Rouse was tasked with obtaining valid signatures from registered voters in Warren County. However, in July 2024, upon review of 226 signatures submitted by Rouse to the Warren County Board of Elections, it was determined that numerous signatures were forged.
“Election integrity matters at every stage of the process, not just on Election Day. As the former Chair of the Warren County Board of Elections, I take falsification of petition signatures very seriously because it is a direct attack on the democratic process and the public’s trust in it,” said Fornshell.
“I also want to commend our Democrat and Republican board members and staff of the Warren County Board of Elections, who consistently make election integrity a priority. Warren County is truly blessed by their continuous efforts to support free and fair elections,” Fornshell said.
Fornshell commended Lebanon Police Department Detective Patrick Jenkinson and Warren County Prosecutor’s Office Assistant Prosecutor Amy L. Tranter, Victim Witness Coordinator Erika Bourelle, and Legal Assistant Alison Tuggle for their work on the case.
Rouse will be sentenced after a pre-sentence investigation is completed.
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