Raleigh - State Senator Fletcher Hartsell has been indicted by a Wake County grand jury on allegations that he signed false campaign finance reports.

 

Hartsell, who represents Concord, is charged with three counts of certifying a campaign finance document as correct, while knowing it was not correct. If convicted, Hartsell, a licensed attorney, could face trouble with the N.C. State Bar. 

 

Hartsell is the longest-serving member of the Senate and is in his 13th term. He is not seeking re-election.

 

The state Board of Elections voted about a year ago to forward results of its examination of Hartsell’s campaign-finance expenditures to state and federal prosecutors on the belief that he had used campaign money to pay personal expenses. A federal investigation is pending.

 

A News & Observer investigation of Hartsell’s campaign spending triggered the state’s extensive review.

 

The state investigation found that Hartsell spent more than $109,000 from his campaign account to pay personal expenses from 2009 to 2012. In a statement last year on the board’s action. The elections board alleges Hartsell spent campaign donations on dinners with his family, haircuts, shoe repairs, to pay speeding tickets and part of his driver license renewal fee.