Election Fraud Cases

May 2020 Third Ward Paterson City Council Election

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.

Source: https://herit.ag/3iXAPN9 , https://herit.ag/3f2iVaF, https://herit.ag/3BNsOmj

Dyon Herrera

Dyon Hererra, of Espanola, conspired with Laura Seeds to falsify absentee ballots in support of Seeds' husband's candidacy for mayor in 2016. Hererra forged the signatures of his grandparents on absentee ballots. The candidate that he casted the ballots in favor of won the race by two votes. Herrera was charged with conspiracy to violate the municipal election code of Espanola, a fourth degree felony, and pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to 18 months probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/3l1iAJf , https://herit.ag/3i9ub7o, Case no. D-117-CR-201800047

Laura Seeds

Laura Seeds, of Espanola, conspired with Dyon Herrera to falsify several absentee ballots in favor of Seeds' husband, a city councilman who was running for mayor in 2016. Seeds was charged with two counts of making false statements relative to the municipal election code, one count of conspiracy to violate the municipal election code, and ten counts of possession of another person's absentee ballot. Seeds was found guilty of two counts of making false statements relative to the municipal election code and two counts of possession of another person's absentee ballot, which are all fourth degree felonies. She was sentenced to six months of house arrest, followed by five years of supervised probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/3f4YnhM, Case no. D-117-CR-201800048,

Lauren Creekmore Peabody

Lauren C. Peabody, of Virginia Beach, worked as a campaign staffer for the GOP candidate in the 2nd Congressional District of VA. In that role, she signed off on petition signatures, that she did not witness, to get Shaun Brown, a Democrat, on the ballot as an Independent in order to take away votes from the Democratic nominee (her boss's main opponent). The signatures were forgeries of deceased individuals and former residents. She was charged with two counts of election fraud and pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of "willful neglect of election duty." She received a 12-month suspended sentence based on a year of good behavior and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.

Source: https://herit.ag/3BMDxh2

Chad Armstrong

Chad Armstrong, a convicted felon on probation, voted in the 2018 election despite being ineligible. He was charged with felony election fraud but pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor. He was sentenced to five days in jail.

Source: bit.ly/37HfjaT

Tess Alayna Bishop

Tess Bishop, of Salt Lake City, UT,voted "unlawfully and knowingly" in a Harper's Ferry municipal election where her father, Wayne Bishop, was elected mayor by a margin of 14 votes. Bishop was charged with one count of illegal voting, and pled guilty to the charge. She was sentenced to 3 days of incarceration, that could be served by completing 24 hours of community service, and ordered to pay all court fees.

Source: https://herit.ag/2TBAc30, https://herit.ag/3f296cQ

Elbert Melton

Elbert Melton, the former mayor of Gordon, illegally notarized two ballots, without witnesses present, during the 2016 election in which he was running for mayor. Melton won that race by only 16 votes. Melton was convicted on two counts of absentee ballot fraud, was removed from office, and was sentenced to serve one year in prison followed by two years of probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/3y8oU5f, https://herit.ag/3xcAQBQ, https://herit.ag/3zImZEW

Richard John Greenfield

Richard John Greenfield was charged by the state after he voted twice in the 2016 election, once in Pima County, Arizona, and again in Washoe County, Nevada. Greenfield, a registered Republican, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of attempted illegal voting. He was sentenced to two years of probation, ordered to complete at least 100 hours of community restitution, and fined $2,500. He is also prohibited from voting while on probation.

Source: https://herit.ag/3f2mGNt, https://herit.ag/2TBqNsg

Gustavo Araujo Lerma

Gustavo Araujo Lerma, a Mexican citizen who resides in Sacramento County, illegally assumed the identity of American citizen Hiram Enrique Velez, and illegally voted repeatedly over two decades. Lerma was convicted in federal court of one count of aggravated identity theft, one count of making a false statement on a passport application, and five counts of voting by an alien in a federal election. Lerma, a self-described Republican donor and ardent Trump supporter was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison. 

Source: bit.ly/323ErD1, bit.ly/2PgcOVR

Richard Davis

Richard Davis, of Pacific Grove, registered four dogs (Pfeiffer, Chantarelle, Rocky, and Cooper) and his deceased father to vote between 2013 and 2018. Davis was charged with voter registration fraud. He pled guilty and was sentenced to three years of probation and 48 hours of community service.

Source: https://herit.ag/3l01oUz , https://herit.ag/3i4URpJ

Cary Johnson

Cary Johnson, the former Canton Fire Chief, bought votes using money and beer in his 2017 race for fire chief. Johnson was indicted on three counts of voter fraud, but as part of a plea deal, he plead guilty to one count and was admitted to a pre-trial diversion program. Johnson was given one year to complete the program in order to avoid a felony conviction.

Source: https://herit.ag/2WrcPKJ , https://herit.ag/3f42Z7T

Jennifer Robinson

Jennifer Robinson, of Canton, falsely registered for an absentee ballot and then voted in 2017 municipal elections.  She was charged with multiple counts of voter fraud and voting by an unqualified person for voting in a precinct in which she no longer resided.  As part of a plea deal, she was admitted to a pre-trial diversion program. 

Source: https://herit.ag/3rEwFh5 , https://herit.ag/3y4jzfo

Andrew Grant

Andrew Grant, a city alderman in Canton, tried to buy at least one person's vote in the 2017 municipal election in which he was running. Grant was charged with four counts of voter fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit voter. Grant pleaded guilty to one conspiracy charge. He was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, which was suspended, and he resigned from office.

Source: https://herit.ag/3vKm2v4, https://herit.ag/3xiBI8h

Valerie Smith

Valerie Smith, a former Canton city clerk, falsely attested to witnessing voters swear their applications before her. Smith was charged with 15 felony counts, and pleaded guilty to a charge that she violated voter registration statutes. She was sentenced to a year of probation and ordered to pay a fine and cover the costs of the investigation.

Source: https://herit.ag/3BPBXuH

Donnell Robinson

Donnell Robinson, of Canton, illegally reigistered and voted despite being ineligible due to prior criminal convictions. Robinson pleaded guilty to a charge of misdemeanor voter fraud. He was sentenced to one year in county jail, which was suspended, placed on six months' probation, and ordered to pay a $250 fine.

Source: https://herit.ag/3jGoRbN