A Bradford man who was accused of forging election petitions during his campaign for Bradford City mayor has pleaded guilty.

Slim M. Lewis, 43, entered a guilty plea Thursday to charges of forgery-unauthorized act in writing, a first-degree misdemeanor, and false signatures/statements, a misdemeanor, court records indicate.

Lewis was seeking the Democratic nomination for mayor in the May primary election. He withdrew his name from the race in March after he was approached with the forgery allegations.

Even if Lewis had not withdrawn his name, he would have been barred from holding office, as he is a convicted felon. While Pennsylvania law allows convicted felons to run for office, it prohibits them from actually holding office.

Lewis, along with three others who helped him collect signatures for his nomination petition, was criminally charged in May. Lewis is the last of the four to enter a plea.

On Aug. 22, codefendants 29-year-old Josef Godfrey and 26-year-old Lena Lewis — wife of Slim Lewis — also pleaded guilty to charges of forgery and false signatures/statements, and Nikki L. Elliott, 24, followed suit on Oct. 21.

Court records filed at the time of his arrest indicated that Slim Lewis forged at least 17 signatures on nomination petitions.

Meanwhile, Godfrey was convicted of forging the signatures of 10 people; Elliot, nine; and Lena Lewis, seven.

Godfrey was sentenced to a term of 10 days to one year in McKean County Jail and one year of consecutive probation, while Lena Lewis was sentenced to five days to one year in McKean County Jail and one year of consecutive probation.

Elliott is scheduled to be sentenced on Thursday.

A sentencing hearing date for Slim Lewis was not available at press time Tuesday. He is free on $45,000 unsecured bail.