William Everette “Billy” Mays, the Nelson sheriff’s office investigator who led the Alexis Murphy missing teen case, was indicted on two counts of election fraud November 24. Mays ran for sheriff and lost to David Hill in the November election. Both men were the subjects of Virginia State Police investigations after a private citizen complained that neither lived in Nelson County.
According to a release by Charlottesville Commonwealth’s Attorney Dave Chapman, named special prosecutor in the case, the state police investigation determined that sheriff-elect Hill did reside in the county and no charges were brought against him.
A grand jury indicted Mays for a felony count of making a false statement on an election form and a misdemeanor charge of willful neglect of election laws duties. He’s scheduled to appear in court January 21.
Similar charges were lodged in 2011 against Charlottesville City Council candidate James Halfaday, who resided in Albemarle County when he ran for office in the city. Halfaday was charged with four felony counts, pleaded guilty to one and served 60 days in jail.