Read The Arrest Warrants Chronicling Wide-Ranging Election Fraud

Days after leveling numerous charges against five political operatives related to the 2023 mayoral race, state investigators made public the affidavits detailing a cluster of allegations including forging signatures, possessing absentee ballots, changing votes after being cast, pressuring electors how to vote, registering non-citizens, harvesting absentee ballots for dumping into designated drop boxes.

City Council members Maria Pereira, Alfredo Castillo and Jazmarie Melendez, Democratic Vice Chair Wanda-Geter Pataky and campaign staffer Margaret Joyce are now all lawyered up following last week’s arrests.

Castillo, Geter-Pataky and Margaret Joyce supported Mayor Joe Ganim while Pereira and  Melendez backed John Gomes for mayor.

Dozens of electors were pressured to change their absentee votes via a green form requesting another ballot. This was particularly extensive in Pereira’s 138th Upper East Side district with large senior citizen housing units. If Pereira learned that a constituent had voted a particular way, according to the affidavit, seniors were prevailed upon to claim an error on their absentee ballot, canceling the previous ballot so they could change their vote.

The flashpoint for all of this came in the aftermath of the Democratic mayoral primary with dozens of election complaints filed by both Gomes and Ganim campaign operatives. Geter-Pataky became the face of the allegations when she was captured on video surveillance leaked to the Gomes campaign placing ballots into the drop box fronting the Morton Government Center when she then helmed the front desk.

Castillo was also captured on film placing ballots into a drop box.

The Gomes campaign challenged Ganim’s close primary advantage in court. A state judge ordered a new primary. Four elections took place, that extended the campaign season into February 2024 when Ganim was finally declared the winner.

Links to the respective affidavits follow:

Pereira alleged forgery count here

Pereira affidavit here

Geter-Pataky affidavit here

Castillo affidavit here

Joyce affidavit here

Melendez affidavit here

The investigation resulted in the following charges:

• Castillo was charged with five counts of Misrepresenting Eligibility Requirements for Voting by Absentee Ballot, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 9-135(b), five counts of being Present When an Absentee Ballot Applicant Executes an Absentee Ballot, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 9-140b(e) and eight counts of Possession of Ballots and Envelopes Restricted, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 9-140b(d).

• Geter-Pataky was charged with 42 counts of Possession of Ballots and Envelopes Restricted, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 9-140b(d), two counts of Fraudulent Voting, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 9-360, 22 counts of Misrepresenting Eligibility Requirements for Voting by Absentee Ballot, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 9-135(b), 17 counts of being Present When an Absentee Ballot Applicant Executes an Absentee Ballot, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 9-140b(e) and nine counts of Conspiracy to Commit Possession of Ballots and Envelopes Restricted, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes §§ 53a-48/9-140b(d).

• Pereira was charged with 20 counts of Misrepresenting Eligibility Requirements for Voting by Absentee Ballot, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 9-135(b), four counts of being Present When an Absentee Ballot Applicant Executes an Absentee Ballot, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 9-140b(e), five counts of Possession of Ballots and Envelopes Restricted, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 9-140b(d), Forgery in the Second Degree, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-139 and Disorderly Conduct, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-182.

• Melendez was charged with six counts of Misrepresenting Eligibility Requirements for Voting by Absentee Ballot, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 9-135(b).

• Joyce was charged with four counts of Misrepresenting Eligibility Requirements for Voting by Absentee Ballot, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 9-135(b), four counts of Possession of Ballots and Envelopes Restricted, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 9-140b(d) and Fraudulent Voting, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 9-360.