A former Blacksburg, Virginia, town council member has been sentenced after being convicted of election fraud, while a separate federal case highlights allegations of illegal voting involving noncitizens.
Liam Watson, a former member of the Blacksburg Town Council, was sentenced this week after a jury found him guilty in December of two counts of election fraud and one count of illegally voting. The charges stem from his 2023 campaign for local office, The Federalist reported.
According to court records, Watson received a two-year prison sentence for each conviction, but the sentences will run concurrently and were fully suspended. He will instead serve two years of unsupervised probation.
Under Virginia law, each election fraud conviction carries a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, while the illegal voting charge carries up to five years.
Watson was charged in July 2024, more than a year after the election in question. He resigned from his council position in December 2025 following his conviction.
Prosecutors argued that Watson falsely claimed residency in Blacksburg in order to run for office and vote in the election. They said he used an address on Millhurst Street where he did not actually live.
During the trial, Watson testified that he did not have a formal residence in Blacksburg at the time. However, he said he had permission from then-Mayor Leslie Hager-Smith to use the Millhurst Street property as an address for his campaign and voter registration, WDBJ7 reported.
Watson said he believed he was acting in good faith and relied on guidance from the mayor. “She was mayor and my friend, and as far as I knew, working in my best interest,” Watson testified.
Hager-Smith also testified during the trial and disputed that claim. She said she only allowed Watson to use the address as a forwarding location and did not intend for it to be listed as his legal residence.
She told the court that no one had lived at the property since she purchased it in 2021. Montgomery County Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Patrick Jensen argued that Watson knowingly misrepresented his residency.
“The defendant deceived the residents in the town of Blacksburg,” Jensen said during closing arguments. “Ignorance of the law is not an excuse.”
Watson’s attorney, John Fishwick, argued that his client did not intend to commit a crime and was misled about the requirements. “He didn’t have a bad purpose. He had a good purpose. He wanted to help people,” Fishwick said.
The defense also noted that Watson signed a lease and began living in Blacksburg in January 2024 after winning the election.
Following the verdict, Watson’s legal team said they respect the court’s decision but are considering next steps. The defense has 45 days to file a brief, with prosecutors given 25 days to respond.
In a separate case, federal authorities have charged four noncitizens with illegally voting in U.S. elections and making false statements during the naturalization process, Breitbart News reported.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the individuals allegedly registered to vote and cast ballots despite not being U.S. citizens. They are also accused of falsely claiming on citizenship applications that they had never voted in federal elections.
Federal officials said the alleged voting took place across multiple election cycles, including the 2020 and 2024 presidential elections and the 2022 midterms.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the charges reflect enforcement efforts targeting election-related offenses.
“This administration will not tolerate aliens who attempt to vote in our elections when they know they are not eligible,” Blanche said in a statement.
Authorities said each defendant is accused of voting in at least one federal election and then providing false information under oath during the citizenship application process.