Just one week after pulling off a surprise victory over incumbent Republican Rep. Tim Moore in North Carolina’s 14th Congressional District race, Democrat LaKesha Womack is set to appear in court on a pending felony charge.
Womack secured 51.1% of the vote in the House race, while Moore received 48.9%, according to election results reported by The Associated Press.
The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office previously confirmed to Fox News Digital that Womack had been served a criminal summons on Oct. 11 by a deputy with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office on a pending felony charge alleging she failed to return a rental vehicle valued at $20,000 in 2019.
The criminal summons was issued in January 2020 but not served until 2026, according to WBTV. Womack is set to appear in court on Nov. 10, The New York Post reported Thursday.
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Womack previously acknowledged failing to return the rental car on time, saying she was experiencing homelessness at the time and was unaware that a criminal case had been filed against her.
“This historic victory is bigger than me. It is a testament to the power of ordinary people who believe that their voices matter and that leadership should be rooted in service, accountability, and opportunity for all,” Womack told Fox News Digital in a statement on Friday. “As a Black woman, a single mother, an entrepreneur, and someone who has spent more than two decades helping communities grow, I understand both the challenges people face and the possibilities we can create together.”
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“We didn’t just make history in North Carolina’s 14th Congressional District; we opened the door for a new generation of leaders who listen, learn, and lead for the people,” she continued.
When asked about facing the felony charge on Friday, Womack declined to comment to Fox News Digital.
Under North Carolina law, the charge is a Class H felony that can carry a prison sentence exceeding two years, depending on the defendant’s criminal history and other sentencing factors.
Under House rules, members formally charged with a felony punishable by two or more years in prison are expected to step aside from committee assignments and party leadership positions while the charges remain pending, a provision that could become relevant to Womack once she takes office in January.
Moore’s campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
“My opponent needs to explain these pending felony charges to the voters of North Carolina District 14,” Moore wrote in an Oct. 28 post on X. “With a court date literally the week after the election this is a big deal.”
