JUST IN: Palm Beach Elections Volunteer Arrested for Stealing Computer Equipment and Encrypted Access Key Ahead of Special Election Won by Democrat

A Palm Beach elections volunteer was taken into custody for allegedly stealing an encrypted access key from election computer equipment just days before a closely watched special election.

John Panicci was arrested Friday in connection with the theft of sensitive computer devices and supplies on March 19, ahead of the March 24 special election.

The election resulted in a narrow Democratic victory in Florida’s state house district 87, which includes President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Democrat Emily Gregory won the seat by roughly 800 votes. President Trump had carried this district by 11 points in the 2024 presidential election.

In the lead-up to the vote, President Trump publicly endorsed Republican candidate Jon Maples for the district, but Maples was ultimately defeated by Gregory.

Authorities reported that Panicci is accused of taking computer equipment and other election-related materials during a volunteer training session at the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Office. Investigators said the training was held on March 19 in preparation for the upcoming special election.

Detectives explained that Panicci allegedly stole an encrypted access key from a voter registration terminal during the session. While the key was intended only for use with the training databases, officials expressed concern that, if someone were able to reverse engineer it, the encryption could potentially be misused on active voter registration kiosks.

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