A Connecticut minister was charged last week with forgery and perjury in relation to a failed effort in 2024 to petition for a Democratic primary in the 33rd House District of Middletown, the chief state’s attorney announced Wednesday.

Prosecutors obtained an arrest warrant accusing the Rev. Robert K. Hoggard, 33, of Middletown of submitting petitions with forged signatures and falsified circulator certifications two years ago. He was released on a promise to appear.

He was charged with 14 counts of second-degree forgery and six counts of perjury. In single-town districts, a challenger to a party-endorsed candidate can force a primary by gathering signatures from 2% of voters enrolled in that party.

The State Elections Enforcement Commission referred the case to prosecutors after investigating complaints from voters that their purported signatures appeared on petitions they never signed.

Hoggard’s attorney, John Kennelly, denied wrongdoing.

“We are confident that after a full investigation my client will be vindicated,” Kennelly said. “These situations are a product of years going by between the collection of signatures and the investigation by the state.”

Kennelly said the case largely is based on the recollections of people about “a 30-second interaction two-plus years ago.”

The seat Hoggard sought was won in 2020 by Rep. Brandon Chafee, D-Middletown.