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Former Cape Coral councilwoman avoids prison for three felonies

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Former Cape Coral council member Patty Cummings gets probation for three felony crimes. She was suspended from the council last November.

A former Cape Coral council member will not serve time in jail or prison after her sentencing Monday on election and driver's license fraud charges.

Patty Cummings had been charged with falsely claiming she lived in a district of the Cape, and won election from that district two years ago.

Cummings was sentenced to two years probation and ordered to pay just under $6,800 dollars for investigative and court costs.

She cannot run for or hold any elective office while on probation.

She could have received prison time and additional fines for the third-degree felonies.

Cummings admitted that she put a false address on her driver's license application and that she falsely claimed to live in District 4 in south-central Cape Coral while running for elected office. She won the election to that district's council seat in 2022. Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended her from office after charges were filed last November.

The council chose Richard Carr to replace Cummings. Carr currently is running against three opponents to serve the next two years on the council.

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