(Marion County, FL) On July 30, 2025, 26-year-old Maria Guadalupe Bautista was found guilty after a jury trial on 13 counts of Fraudulent Use of Personal Information.  

Bautista was originally arrested in 2023 after investigators uncovered a petition fraud scheme in which she unlawfully used the personal information of multiple individuals, including one elected government official, to falsify petition signatures.

“Election integrity is a cornerstone of our democratic process,” said Bill Gladson, Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney. “We remain committed to holding individuals accountable for crimes that undermine public trust.”

Back in November of 2021, the Office of Wesley Wilcox, the Supervisor of Elections for Marion County, contacted the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office regarding a complaint of widespread fraud related to a Constitutional Amendment 21-16 petition for the Limited Authorization of Casino Gaming.

“This fraud is a way to run around the state’s legislative process and turn Florida’s Constitution into a playground for political gamesmanship, and it’s unacceptable,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “This guilty verdict is a victory for not only the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney but the entire state of Florida.”

Investigator Jeff Pfannerstill with the State Attorney’s Office met with the Supervisor of Elections, who informed the investigator that his staff is responsible for receiving all signed petitions collected and verifying the signatures. Upon doing so, his staff found two apparent fraudulent petitions that had the signature of a paid registered petition circulator by the name of Maria Bautista.

Staff of the elections office further reviewed petition forms submitted by the defendant and found numerous forms that did not match the signatures on the voter rolls submitted by Bautista. Additionally, of the fraudulent petition forms submitted by the defendant, two contained signatures of deceased registered voters.

Investigator Pfannerstill contacted the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) for further assistance in investigating the case. Inspector Adam Graff with the FDLE obtained an address for Bautista in Gainesville, where contact was made with the defendant. Upon questioning the defendant, she informed investigators that she did work for a political action committee after seeing an ad on Craigslist for a job.

While speaking with the defendant, she was shown one of the fraudulent cards and confirmed to officials that it was indeed her signature on the submitted petition forms. The petition form in question contained the voter information and a fraudulent signature for a Marion County elected official. When questioned as to the person who filled out the form, Bautista claimed she did not recall the individual who signed it.

Continuing their investigation, Inspector Graff reached out to the Department of Elections (DOE) and requested a search to be completed to determine the number of petitions submitted by the defendant. The DOE returned the results of the submitted petitions by Bautista, and probable cause was established for the defendant’s arrest.

Bautista’s sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time, pending a presentencing investigation. The defendant faces a three-year minimum-mandatory prison sentence.

The State Attorney’s Office appreciates the efforts of FDLE Inspector Graff, SAO Investigator Pfannerstill, Assistant State Attorney Janine Nixon, Certified Legal Intern Sandy Edwards, the Department of Elections, the Florida Attorney General’s Office, and all who assisted in bringing this case to a successful conclusion.

Published on 08/04/2025.