ANDERSON, Ind. (WISH) — The Madison County District Attorney on Tuesday called an incident of ballot theft an effort to undermine trust in the election system.

Madison County held a public test of its voting machines on October 3rd. Investigators say surveillance video from that day shows Larry Savage took at least two ballots intended for the test and put them in his pocket.

Moments later, he posted on a Facebook Live stream, “3 shorter ballots!!! lol’ and ‘Don’t take (sic) anything’.

State troopers executed a warrant at Savage’s home in Anderson that evening and recovered the ballots.

Madison County Prosecutor Rodney Cummings said the ballots used in the test were real ballots marked with every possible combination of candidates to ensure the machines would read them correctly. He said not only did Savage’s actions undermine the test, but the ballots were used to create a false narrative that election results could not be trusted.

Cummings charged Savage on Tuesday with one count each of removing or destroying ballots and misdemeanor theft.

“The ballots weren’t there because he took them himself,” Cummings said. “He is creating a controversy that never existed in an effort to undermine confidence in our election process.”

Savage was one of several candidates who ran unsuccessfully against U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz in May’s Republican primary.

On his campaign Facebook page, he declared himself a MAGA candidate.

Court documents show on Oct. 17, he posted on Facebook, “A new era of accountability has begun in Madison County. We will protect citizens from harassment, dismantle entrenched networks, and conduct thorough investigations into questionable behavior. By demanding fair and transparent elections, we will restore trust and protect civil rights. As a dedicated advocate, I will amplify the voice of the people, promoting a culture of justice and equality.”

In a video of Savage’s interaction with Indiana State Police detectives, Savage insists the ballots were samples and he was allowed to take them with him. Court documents show Savage also told detectives he believed the matter was politically motivated.

The incident comes amid growing attacks on the integrity of the electoral system. Former President Donald Trump continued to spread claims of mass voter fraud without providing any evidence. Incendiary devices were thrown into at least three ballot boxes in Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Wash.

Cummings, who has been Madison County’s district attorney since 1995, said the number of fraudulent votes cast in elections is extremely small. He said he has never heard of anyone trying to steal ballots in the roughly 10 years since Madison County adopted the current voting machines. Cummings said he is not concerned about further attempts to sabotage the election process in his county.

“I’m just lucky that everything was filmed and you can see what happened,” he said. “It makes it harder for those who want to undermine confidence in our electoral process to succeed.”

Savage did not answer the door when News 8 went to his home Tuesday afternoon to seek comment. He faces up to 2 1/2 years in prison if convicted.