LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — All 16 defendants in the false elector prosecution have been arraigned in 54-A District Court in Ingham County as of Thursday.

The prosecution is in regard to an alleged plan to change the outcome of the 2020 presidential election by declaring themselves electors in Michigan.

All 16 defendants pled not guilty on all eight counts with which each is charged, and their cases have been assigned to Judge Kristen D. Simmons.

The defendants face more than 80 years in prison if they are convicted on all charges.

The eight counts with which each person is charged include one count of conspiracy to commit forgery; two counts of forgery; one count of conspiracy to commit uttering and publishing; one count of uttering and publishing; one count of conspiracy to commit election law forgery; and two counts of election law forgery.

Prosecutors say the defendants held a secret meeting in the basement of the Michigan Republican Party headquarters on Dec. 14 and signed their names to multiple certificates stating they were the “duly elected and qualified electors for President and Vice President of the United States of America for the State of Michigan.”

The hope was that these documents would get filed by the national archives, in order to award Michigan’s electoral votes to Donald Trump, and not Joe Biden, according to the attorney general.

Following arraignment, each defendant was given a personal recognizance bond, stipulating that they must not travel outside of the state without the court’s permission; possess or purchase firearms, ammunition or dangerous weapons; commit any illegal acts; or miss any court dates, at the risk of losing their bond.

The following people are arraigned and scheduled for court appearances:

  • Kathy Berden, 70, now living in Tennessee
  • William (Hank) Choate, 72, of Cement City
  • Amy Facchinello, 55, of Grand Blanc
  • Clifford Frost, 75, of Warren
  • Stanley Grot, 71, of Shelby Township
  • John Haggard, 82, of Charlevoix
  • Mari-Ann Henry, 65, of Brighton
  • Timothy King, 56, of Ypsilanti
  • Michele Lundgren, 73, of Detroit
  • Meshawn Maddock, 55, of Milford
  • James Renner, 76, of Lansing
  • Mayra Rodriguez, 64, of Grosse Pointe Farms
  • Rose Rook, 81, of Paw Paw
  • Marian Sheridan, 69, of West Bloomfield
  • Ken Thompson, 68, of Orleans
  • Kent Vanderwood, 69, of Wyoming