Desiree Lynch arrested on felony election fraud charges

Desiree Lynch, a candidate for the Stockton City Council, has been arrested on five felony counts related to alleged election fraud. The charges include three counts of perjury, causing or allowing false voter registration, and filing a false nomination or declaration of candidacy.

Investigators determined that Lynch lived in Stockton’s District 1, which is outside the boundaries of District 5, the area she sought to represent. Prosecutors allege that she falsely listed the addresses of Harry’s Cocktail Lounge and the Doyle Garden Apartments as her residences to meet district requirements.

Lynch, who campaigned as a nurse and mother promising to address crime and city hall infighting, was booked in jail on $100,000 bail. If found guilty, she faces more than six years in prison. The San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office characterized Lynch as an ‘opportunist’ who attempted to cheat the system.