CHARLESTON â A Morgantown man has pleaded guilty to forging signatures on a petition supporting his candidacy for Morgantown City Council in 2019.
In a plea deal that allows him to avoid prison, Timothy Aaron Metz, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of felony falsely filing a certification nomination before Monongalia Circuit Judge Phillip Gaujot on Thursday morning, according to a news release from West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner.
Metzâs plea was part of an agreement with Monongalia Prosecutor Perri DeChristopher, who agreed to allow Metz to enter a pretrial diversion. The diversion includes Metz serving probation for 24 months.
In West Virginia, a conviction for falsely filing a certification nomination carries a sentence of between one and 10 years in prison.