Former state representative Austin Cole Smith is facing legal troubles after being indicted on charges related to election petition forgeries. According to FOX 10 Phoenix , Smith has been indicted on one count of Fraudulent Schemes and Practices, a felony, four counts of Presentment of False Instrument For Filing, all felonies, and 10 counts of Illegal Signing of Election Petitions, all misdemeanors. He's accused of deceiving the Secretary of State's office with petitions bearing forged elector signatures and signing names other than his own to the nominating petition.

Last April, when Smith, then described as a leader of the conservative group Turning Point Action, chose to quickly withdraw his re-election bid, it was under the shadow of these allegations. At the time, he slammed the accusations as "a coordinated attack by Democrats" and called them "silly on its face", in a statement obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix . Yet, Smith decided to drop out to prevent potentially racking up legal expenses.

Details from a state grand jury indictment obtained by Arizona's Family reveal that the charges detail serious accusations including the Class 5 felony count, which carries a potential punishment ranging from probation to a maximum of 2.5 years in prison. This charge is directly related to allegations of Smith having filed forged or fabricated petition signatures with the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office.

A previous lawsuit, as Arizona's Family reported, suggested Smith had been forging signatures on his nomination petition for reelection to represent District 29, with the handwriting on the forms reportedly appearing similar to that of Smith. In his own words, Smith had denied any wrongdoing, proclaiming his innocence on social media after he dropped his re-election campaign last year.