Indiana officer faces 13 felonies including voter fraud

RISING SUN, Ind. (AP) – A police officer faces 13 felony charges in connection with the 2015 primary election in Ohio County.

Rising Sun officer Lowell Ross Colen was arrested Wednesday afternoon on charges including ghost employment, official misconduct, forgery and voter fraud. He’s accused of influencing residents to vote in this year’s Ohio County primary election and filling out absentee applications and ballots for people who aren’t eligible to vote in the county.

A four-month investigation by Indiana State Police determined that Colen forged signatures on some of the applications and ballots, and then submitted them to the Ohio County Clerk’s Office.

State Police believes some of the criminal activity may have taken place while Colen was on duty and wearing his uniform.

It wasn’t immediately known if Colen has an attorney.