NC House Candidate Served Felony Papers at Campaign Stop

Lakesha Womack, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, was served with a felony summons on Oct. 11 during a campaign event in Polk County, North Carolina. The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that a deputy from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office delivered the papers for felony failure to return a hired motor vehicle. Womack stated in a Facebook video that the incident occurred while she was at a campaign stop.

The criminal case was originally opened in January 2020. Womack told voters she first learned of the pending charges just days before the Oct. 11 event during a conversation with the Gastonia branch of the NAACP. She explained that she could not receive the initial summons in 2020 because she was homeless and lacked a stable address.

In a video posted on Oct. 9, Womack acknowledged that she owes fees related to the incident. She described the events of 2019, when a medical emergency sent her to an intensive care unit and her son was placed in foster care. She said she was staying in a hotel and struggling to afford food when she could no longer pay for her rental car. The company recovered the vehicle, and a felony case was filed.

Womack expressed frustration that law enforcement identified her vehicle and location for the Oct. 11 service despite a seven year gap since the incident. She noted that her 2019 address was used on the documents. She later said she could not discuss the active case in public, leading to the deletion of her Oct. 9 video from her campaign Facebook page.

Rep. Tim Moore, a Republican who currently holds the 14th Congressional District seat, responded to the news. His campaign said the incident raises serious questions and that Womack owes voters an explanation. He noted that her court date is scheduled for one week after the election. Moore, an attorney of over 30 years, stated that everyone should be held to the same standard of justice.

Moore’s campaign added that when a rental agreement ends, the right to keep the car also ends. The 14th Congressional District covers the western part of North Carolina, ranging from Charlotte suburbs to rural foothills. Womack is running to unseat Moore in the upcoming election.

If found guilty, Womack faces a sentence of four to 24 months in prison or community service for the same duration. Her campaign has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the timing of the service.

The court hearing is set to take place one week after the general election. Womack continues to hold campaign events in the district while the felony case remains active.