A newly elected Forsyth County water and soil conservation supervisor has been indicted on three election violations and is charged with violations to the state’s sex offender registry.

Forsyth County District Attorney Jim O’Neal and Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough held a press conference announcing the arrest of Edward Jeffery Jones Tuesday morning.

The first count claims Jones resided in Davie County but filed for candidacy in Forsyth, and a second count involves Jones’ failure to disclose that he is a convicted felon, officials said.

Jones also allegedly voted in Forsyth County when he was a resident of Davie County, according to authorities.

Jones was previously convicted in Forsyth County of failure to register as a sex offender on Nov. 21, 2019, and he was sentenced to two years and eight months. He was released Dec. 13, 2021.

Jones was arrested Monday and remained in the Forsyth County Detention Center Tuesday on a $100,000 bond. 

O’Neal said voters should always be informed of all information before heading to polls on Election Day.

"Elections have consequences. And if you don't research and understand the people you're voting for before you show up in November, these things can happen and, but again I put the onus first and foremost on the candidate to be truthful to the public when they're filing for an elected office," O'Neal said.

Jones is a registered sex offender out of New Jersey, where he committed an offense against a 15-year-old girl, authorities said.

Jones will appear in court on Feb. 28 in connection with failure to register as a sex offender, and he will appear in Superior Court on March 3 to face the election fraud charges.

According to the district attorney, the job of a water and soil conversation supervisor is unpaid, and those who are supervisors get reimbursed for their time.

"You know, most of the public knows the sheriff. Most of public knows myself. They have a hard time knowing the judges,” O’Neal said. "They have a hard time knowing the county commissioners. They have a hard time knowing the soil and water people. So any extra information that we can provide to them that helps them make an informed decision at the ballot box would, would probably be helpful."