A former Lodi councilmember has been sentenced to three years in jail for a series of crimes tied to the 2020 election.
Shakir Khan had previous pleaded no contest to criminal counts that included election fraud and money laundering, according to the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office.
Khan was sentenced to three years in San Joaquin County jail, with one year suspended to be served on probation. The court ruled that an eight-year state prison term would be stayed, if Khan completed the probation.
“Today’s sentence shows the seriousness with which we take efforts to tamper with the electoral process in San Joaquin County,” San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas said in a news release on Monday about Khan’s sentencing.
The judge in the case also denied Khan’s request to withdraw his no-contest plea relating to alleged mental health issues, according to the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office and court records.
Shakir Khan, who won a seat on the Lodi City Council in 2020 by fewer than 300 votes, pleaded no contest in January 2024 to 77 felony counts that included false filing declarations, registering fictitious persons to vote, voter registration fraud and attempting to vote more than once.
At the time of the plea, Khan faced the possibility of more than 40 years in prison, according to the district attorney’s office.
Investigators say they found 23 filed voter registrations at Khan’s home, as well as 47 others at different addresses listing the former councilmember’s email and phone number. Body camera footage from the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office also had shown individuals claiming Khan pressured them to vote for him or even signed ballots on their behalf, according to the sheriff’s office.
After the investigation became public, the sheriff’s office said Khan had posted a video in his native language of Urdu, instructing people to say they had filled out their own ballots if questioned.
Khan was originally arrested in February 2023 for the election fraud charges. He had also faced a separate 2020 arrest related to illegal gambling and money laundering allegations. His sentence for the election-related charges was handed down Monday, DA’s officials said.
Khan’s attorney had attempted to withdraw Kahn’s no-contest plea last September, citing newly discovered evidence of undiagnosed mental health conditions. However, the judge in the case denied the request.
One year of the jail term is suspended and will be served on mandatory probation, DA officials said. The court also imposed an eight-year state prison sentence but stayed it, meaning it will only take effect if Khan violates the terms of his supervision.
“Accountability includes honoring the plea and fulfilling the terms of supervision,” Freitas said in his statement on Tuesday. “If Mr. Khan fails to comply, the full consequences of his sentence will be enforced.”