Agent investigating Iowa voter fraud called to active military duty

A state law enforcement officer investigating voter fraud has been called to active military duty, but the probe into alleged voting irregularities is continuing, according to the Secretary of State's Office.

A second Division of Criminal Investigation agent has picked up the investigation called for by Secretary of State Matt Schultz. The first-term Republican has made fighting election fraud a priority. He is spending up to $280,000 for a DCI agent to investigate voter fraud for up to two years.

As a result of the agent being called to active duty in the National Guard, Chad Olson of the Secretary of State's Office said charges of election misconduct have been dismissed against three Council Bluffs residents. Pottawattamie County Attorney Matt Wilber filed for dismissal, without prejudice, because the agent's absence could have created issues with the rights of defendants for a speedy trial, Olson said.

“It's a procedural issue, a procedural delay,” Olson said.

The charges may be refilled at a later date against Canadians Albert Harte-Maxwell and his wife, Linda, along with Maria Ayon-Fernandez, a citizen of Mexico. They were charged in September. All three are living in the U.S. legally, but prosecutors say they registered to vote without being U.S. citizens.

So far, 10 people have been charged in the investigation, he said, and some cases have been resolved.

The investigation will continue because the DCI has assigned another agent to the case, who already has filed charges in a couple of cases.

Olson expects announcements on more voter fraud cases, perhaps, yet this month.