TRENTON
– Attorney General Anne Milgram and
Criminal Justice Director Deborah L. Gramiccioni
announced that two more workers for the June
2 mayoral primary campaign of Atlantic City
Councilman Marty Small were charged today
with voter fraud, bringing to five the total
number of workers accused of tampering with
applications for messenger ballots or fraudulently
submitting messenger ballots.
Michelle
Griffin, 29, of Pleasantville, and Toni Dixon,
51, of Atlantic City were charged by complaint
today with voter fraud and tampering with
public records.
Similar
charges were filed earlier this month against
David K. Callaway, 45, of Pleasantville, Luquay
Q. Zahir, 34, of Atlantic City, and Floyd
Tally, 39, also of Atlantic City.
Griffin
and Dixon were each charged with two counts
of voter fraud (second and third degree) and
one count of tampering with public records
(third degree).
Griffin
was arrested this morning at her home in Pleasantville.
Bail was set for her at $50,000. Dixon is
being sought on a complaint summons.
Griffin
was charged with disenfranchising at least
four voters who never received or voted their
absentee ballots even though they completed
the applications. The absentee ballots were
picked up and submitted by Griffin to the
Board of Elections, even though voters did
not vote, according to the complaint. Griffin
was also charged with directing absentee ballot
voters to sign the absentee portion of the
application without designating a messenger.
But the applications were submitted with Griffin
listed as a messenger.
Dixon
was charged with disenfranchising at least
six voters who completed absentee ballot applications
but never received or voted the ballots. It
is charged the absentee ballots were picked
up and subsequently submitted by Dixon as
completed and valid ballots, although they
were never counted because they were submitted
late to the Board of Elections.
Dixon
is also charged with directing voters to sign
the absentee portion of the ballot application
without designating a messenger, and then
later designating herself as the messenger.
Messenger
ballots are for use only by those who are
homebound due to illness, infirmity or disability.
Such persons can complete an application designating
a messenger who is a family member or a registered
voter in the county. The messenger is thereby
authorized to obtain an absentee ballot from
the county board of elections, take it to
the voter, and return a completed ballot to
the county board.
“If
any voters believe they were denied their
right to vote as a result of fraud, we urge
them to contact the Division of Criminal Justice’s
confidential tip line, 1-866-TIPS-4CJ,”
said Director Gramiccioni.
The
case is being investigated by the New Jersey
State Police Official Corruption Bureau South
Unit and the Division of Criminal Justice
Corruption Bureau. They have been assisted
by the New Jersey State Police Official Corruption
Bureau North Unit, the State Police Intelligence
Management Bureau, the State Police Casino
Gaming Bureau, the State Police Organized
Crime Control Bureau, and the Atlantic County
Sheriff’s Department.
The
case is being handled for the Division of
Criminal Justice by Deputy Attorney General
Robert Czepiel Jr., Deputy Attorney General
Asha Vaghela, Deputy Attorney General Anthony
Picione, who is deputy chief of the Corruption
Bureau, and Deputy Attorney General Peter
Lee.
Second-degree
crimes carry a maximum sentence of 10 years
in state prison and a criminal fine of $150,000,
while third-degree crimes carry a maximum
sentence of five years in state prison and
a $15,000 fine.
Because
the charges are indictable offenses, this
case is subject to presentation to a grand
jury for potential indictment. The charges
are merely accusations and the defendants
are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Attorney
General Milgram and Director Gramiccioni noted
that, in addition to using the toll free tip
line, the public can log on to the Division
of Criminal Justice Web page at www.njdcj.org
to report suspected election fraud. All information
received through the Division of Criminal
Justice tip line or Web page will remain confidential.
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