Former Plainfield mayoral candidate pleads guilty to voter registration forgery
The investigation began after he allegedly brought approximately 1,000 falsified voter registration applications to a post office.
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A former candidate for mayor in Plainfield has admitted to forging voter registration applications during a 2021 election cycle.
Henrilynn Ibezim, 71, of Plainfield, entered a guilty plea on Monday before a New Jersey Superior Court judge. Ibezim pleaded guilty to one count of third‑degree forgery in connection with his conduct during the June 2021 Democratic primary.
The investigation into Ibezim began after he allegedly brought a garbage bag containing approximately 1,000 falsified voter registration applications to a post office in Elizabeth. His intent was to mail the documents to the Union County Commissioner of Registration to influence the city election.
Authorities alleged that Ibezim created these applications using the personal identifying information of individuals without their authorization. Investigators noted that many of the applications appeared to be written by only three or four different people and failed to disclose that they were completed by anyone other than the purported voters.
“My office is determined to ensure elections are fair and that their outcomes are determined by the will of the voters,” Attorney General Davenport said in a statement. She emphasized that holding individuals accountable for bad‑faith conduct is crucial to maintaining public confidence in the democratic process.
Under the terms of the plea agreement reached with the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability, the state will dismiss the remaining counts of the indictment. In exchange for the guilty plea, prosecutors will recommend a sentence of probation. The court has scheduled Ibezim’s formal sentencing for June 18.
