NATCHEZ &045;&045; Jerry Lyles could be sentenced to a total of 15 years in prison and a $15,000 fine for a charge of three counts of voter registration fraud.

Lyles, who ran for District 1 supervisor in November, was arrested Monday on a grand jury indictment.

Lyles could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

One count of the indictment alleges that Lyles assisted a convicted felon in registering to vote. The other two counts allege that he procured the voter registration of two people who did not live in the district in which they registered.

&uot;He allegedly helped them with this,&uot; Special Assistant Attorney General Lee Martin said. &uot;He supposedly provided voter registration applications to them and encouraged them to fill them out then took it from them and either did it himself or had it delivered.&uot;

Martin was part of an investigation from the Public Integrity Division of the Attorney General’s office that came down during the election.

Lyles, the Democratic candidate, lost the election to incumbent Republican Sammy Cauthen.

One charge of false voter registration carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment or a $5,000 fine, or both.