U.S. District Judge Thomas Johnston said a more than two year long prison sentence for Dallas Toler, 45, a former chief magistrate in Mingo County, was designed to send a strong deterrent message.

On Monday, Toler, who is from Delbarton, received a 27 month long sentence for voter fraud.

He knowingly registered a convicted felon to vote in 2012 and that person voted for “Team Mingo,” a slate of candidates that included Toler, in the 2012 May Primary Election.

“Voters deserve clean elections and honest public officials,” said  Booth Goodwin, U.S. Attorney for West Virginia’s Southern District.  “Politicians have to follow the law like everybody else.  When they forget that, they need to pay the price.”