Democrat Womack Served Felony Papers at Campaign Stop

Lakesha Womack, the Democratic candidate for North Carolina’s 14th Congressional District, was served with felony papers on Oct. 11. A deputy from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office handed her a criminal summons for failure to return a hired motor vehicle. The incident occurred while she was in the state’s western region, a district currently held by Republican Rep. Tim Moore.

Womack stated in a Facebook video that police confronted her upon her arrival at a campaign event. She claimed she was informed of the case only days prior to the stop. Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office records show the case was opened in January 2020, a period she described as a time when she was homeless. She said she could not receive the initial summons because she lacked a stable address.

The candidate explained that she incurred the rental car debt in 2019 after a medical incident required hospitalization. During that time, her son was placed in foster care. Womack said she was living in a hotel and buying food at Dollar Tree when she could no longer afford the vehicle. The rental company retrieved the car, and she said she did not know a felony case was pending against her for seven years.

In a separate video posted on Oct. 9, Womack acknowledged that she owed fees related to the vehicle. She stated that she believed the issue had been resolved, but it was not. The video has since been removed from her campaign Facebook page. She said in later posts that she could not discuss an active case.

Moore’s campaign criticized the timing of the summons. A campaign statement said the incident raises serious questions about Womack’s ability to manage personal affairs. The statement noted that her court date is one week after the election. Moore added that as an attorney for over 30 years, he believes everyone should be held to the same standard of justice. He remarked that when a rental agreement ends, the right to keep the car also ends.

Womack said police knew exactly what car she was driving and where she was going. She noted that they had not looked for her in the past seven years before serving her papers with her 2019 address. She said the deputy pulled up behind her vehicle as soon as she parked.

If found guilty of the felony charge, Womack could face four to 24 months in prison or community service for the same duration. The 14th Congressional District spans from Charlotte suburbs to rural foothills areas. Womack’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the service of the summons by a Polk County deputy. The office did not confirm that the service took place at a specific campaign event.