The May 2020 election for the Third Ward Paterson City Council was overturned by Superior Court Judge Ernest M. Caposela because of what he called “mail in vote procedural violations”. The Passaic County Board of Elections became aware of potential absentee ballots that were improperly cast and handled. Of all ballots cast in the election, 24.29% were rejected. Ballots were rejected because signatures did not match and sections on the ballot designating that someone other than the voter was handling the ballot were left unfilled. A substantial number of ballots were left on the floor of an apartment building, while approximately two hundred uncounted mail-in ballots were found in a postal box located in the adjacent township. Shortly after the election results were tabulated, evidence emerged about an absentee ballot trafficking scheme involving at least four individuals, including two members running for City Council. Candidate Alex Mendez, current councilman Michael Jackson, Shelim Khalique, and Abu Razyen have now been charged with various felonies related to the alleged scheme. The judge ordered a new special election which was held in November 2020. Alex Mendez won by a nine-vote margin, despite the criminal voter fraud charges that are pending against him. New Jersey. 2020. Fraudulent Use of Abs. Ballots. Judicial Finding. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
William Rojas, of Hoboken, acted illegally by attempting to bribe voters with $50 to send in mail-in ballots to support a candidate for a seat on the Hoboken City Council during the 2015 Hoboken municipal election. Rojas was charged with and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring with others to use the mail to promote a voter bribery scheme. He was sentenced to one year of probation. New Jersey. 2020. Buying Votes. Fraudulent Use of Abs. Ballots. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Matthew Calicchio bribed voters with $50 to cast mail-in ballots in a 2013 municipal election in Hoboken to support a rent-control referendum and city council candidate (and longtime Hoboken political player) Frank “Pupie” Raia. Calicchio did the same thing in a 2015 municipal election to support another candidate for City Council. Calicchio pleaded guilty to using the mails to promote voter bribery. He was sentenced to two years of probation and fined $100. New Jersey. 2019. Buying Votes. Fraudulent Use of Abs. Ballots. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Longtime Hoboken politico Frank “Pupie” Raia was convicted following a jury trial of “conspiracy to violate the federal Travel Act for causing the mails to be used in aid of voter bribery” in connection to a 2013 municipal election. Raia was at the center of a vote-by-mail bribery scheme in which he directed campaign workers to pay residents $50 for voting for his council slate (including himself) and for a rent-control referendum that he favored. Raia’s initial sentence was vacated by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, and he is awaiting resentencing. New Jersey. 2019. Buying Votes. Fraudulent Use of Abs. Ballots. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Dio Braxton, of Hoboken, participated in a scheme to pay certain Hoboken voters $50 each if those voters applied for and cast mail-in ballots for candidate (and longtime Hoboken political player) Frank “Pupie” Raia for a seat on the Hoboken City Council and for a rent-control referendum during the 2013 Hoboken municipal election. Dio was charged with and pleaded guilty to one count of use of the mails to promote a voter bribery scheme. He is awaiting sentencing. New Jersey. 2019. Buying Votes. Fraudulent Use of Abs. Ballots. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Lizaida Camis, of Hoboken, acted illegally by attempting to bribe voters with $50 to send in mail-in ballots to support candidate (and longtime Hoboken political player) Frank “Pupie” Raia for a seat on the Hoboken City Council and a rent-control referendum during the 2013 Hoboken municipal election. Camis was charged with and pleaded guilty to one count of use of the mails to promote a voter bribery scheme. She was sentenced to six months’ probation and fined $100. New Jersey. 2018. Buying Votes. Fraudulent Use of Abs. Ballots. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Melvin Howell, of Asbury Park, pleaded guilty to a fourth degree felony charge after she filled out applications for nonexistent voters in a local school board election. According to the Union County Clerk, at least 54 ballots were tainted with irregularities. Howell was sentenced to one year of probation. New Jersey. 2017. Fraudulent Use of Abs. Ballots. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Fernando Gonzalez won a seat on the Perth Amboy City Council by 10 votes in an election where at least 13 illegal absentee ballots were cast. A Superior Court judge subsequently overturned the election results and ordered a new election be held in May 2015 for the seat. New Jersey. 2015. Election Overturned. Judicial Finding. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Spencer Robbins, a municipal judge in Middlesex County, was forced to resign after it was discovered he registered to vote (and actually voted in 22 elections and democratic primaries) using the address of his Woodbridge law office. Although charged with two counts of third-degree voter fraud, Robbins was allowed to enter into a pre-trial intervention program, which means the charges will be dismissed if he successfully completes the program. New Jersey. 2014. False Registrations. Diversion Program. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Former Paterson Councilman Rigo Rodriguez and his wife were entered into the Pre-Trial Intervention Program after facing charges of conspiracy, election fraud, mail-in ballot fraud, and witness tampering. Paterson and his wife, who managed his campaign, orchestrated a scheme to take possession of absentee ballots and “assist” voters in filling them out, or fill them out fraudulently. Rodriguez instructed his volunteers to lie to officials investigating his scheme. New Jersey. 2014. Fraudulent Use of Abs. Ballots. Diversion Program. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Eleven individuals were arrested in a state investigation of possible manipulation of absentee ballots in the election of Paterson Councilman Rigo Rodriguez. They entered into pre-trial intervention, a probationary program, to avoid trial and possible prison time. New Jersey. 2014. Fraudulent Use of Abs. Ballots. Diversion Program. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
John Fernandez, who worked for the Essex County Department of Economic Development, was convicted of election fraud, absentee ballot fraud, and forgery. Fernandez submitted phony absentee ballots while he was working on the 2007 election campaign of state Sen. Teresa Ruiz. Fernandez’s scheme involved messenger ballots, which are used by voters home-bound by illness or a disability. Fernandez fraudulently obtained the ballots, then filled them out on behalf of the voters who had never received them. He received a five-year prison sentence. New Jersey. 2012. Fraudulent Use of Abs. Ballots. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Robert Tierney, a New Brunswick police officer, entered into a pre-trial intervention program (PTI), in relation to theft by deception and voter fraud charges that were filed by the New Brunswick Police Department. An investigation revealed Tierney voted four times between 2005 and 2009 in New Brunswick, while actually living in Milltown. He pleaded guilty and was recommended for the PTI program by the state’s probation division. Upon completion of the diversionary program, the charged will be dismissed. New Jersey. 2011. False Registrations. Diversion Program. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Ronald Harris pleaded guilty to charges in connection with an absentee ballot fraud conspiracy, in which he and 13 others shredded ballots which cast votes for the opposition during the 2009 Atlantic City Democratic primary. He was sentenced to 181 days in prison. New Jersey. 2011. Fraudulent Use of Abs. Ballots. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Angel Colon pleaded guilty to a charge of second-degree election fraud for fraudulently submitting absentee messenger ballots on behalf of voters who never received the ballots or had an opportunity to cast their votes. He was sentenced to three years in prison. New Jersey. 2011. Fraudulent Use of Abs. Ballots. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Gianine Narvaez, a former data processing technician for the Essex County Commissioner of Registration and Superintendent of Elections, pleaded guilty to third-degree charges of absentee ballot fraud and tampering with public records or information. Narvaez was sentenced to a three-year prison term. New Jersey. 2010. Fraudulent Use of Abs. Ballots. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Ernest Storr pleaded guilty to committing absentee ballot fraud by tampering with ballots in the Atlantic City mayoral campaigns of Marty Small and former Mayor Scott Evans. Storr tampered with absentee ballots and instructed a Small campaign worker to do the same. Storr was one of 14 individuals arrested on various voter fraud charges involving Councilman Small’s failed 2009 mayoral bid. He was sentenced to probation in May 2013. New Jersey. 2010. Fraudulent Use of Abs. Ballots. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Samuel Gonzalez was indicted for tampering with ballots and fraudulently submitting ballots in favor of New Jersey Senator Teresa Ruiz. He and his co-conspirators obtained messenger ballots from the county clerk and submitted them to the board of elections as votes on behalf of voters who, in fact, never received or filled out their ballots. Gonzalez agreed to forfeit his seat on the freeholder board and his job as an aide to a Newark city councilman, and was admitted into the Pre-Trial Intervention Program. New Jersey. 2009. Fraudulent Use of Abs. Ballots. Diversion Program. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Former Roselle Borough Council President Jamel Holley was charged with absentee ballot fraud for filling out and submitting more than 20 ballots in the 2006 election. The judge permitted Holley to enter into a pretrial intervention program for one year (if successfully completed, the charges would be dismissed) and to pay a $125 fine. Holley has since been elected mayor of Roselle and appointed to the New Jersey General Assembly. New Jersey. 2009. Fraudulent Use of Abs. Ballots. Diversion Program. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary
Rocio Rivera and Edwin Cruz were indicted for tampering with ballots and fraudulently submitting ballots in favor of New Jersey Senator Teresa Ruiz. They and a fellow co-conspirator obtained messenger ballots from the county clerk and submitted them to the board of elections as votes on behalf of voters who, in fact, never received or filled out their ballots. John Fernandez was convicted of conspiracy (2nd degree), election fraud (2nd degree), absentee ballot fraud (3rd degree), tampering with public records or information (3rd degree), and forgery (4th degree). Cruz pleaded guilty to third-degree tampering with public records or information, and Rivera pleaded guilty to third-degree absentee ballot fraud. New Jersey. 2009. Fraudulent Use of Abs. Ballots. Criminal Conviction. Fraud Investigation. Report Summary