BRIDGEPORT — The adage “The cover-up is worse than the crime” rings true in the case of three individuals charged Tuesday in connection with the 2019 Bridgeport mayoral primary between Joe Ganim and Marilyn Moore. Wanda Geter-Pataky, Josephine Edmonds, and Nilsa Heredia now face serious charges, including witness tampering and violations of state laws regarding absentee ballots.
While some election law violations typically result in minor penalties, witness tampering is classified as a Class C felony in Connecticut. This charge can carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The law stipulates that an individual is guilty of this offense if they attempt to induce a witness to provide false testimony, evade legal summons, or withhold testimony regarding an official proceeding.
Prosecutors allege that in connection to the 2019 primary, Geter-Pataky, Edmonds, and Heredia instructed voters to whom they distributed and collected absentee ballots to withhold truthful information if questioned about the ballots.
Additionally, City Councilman Alfredo Castillo has been charged with election fraud, though he is not facing witness tampering charges.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, a voter who submitted her absentee ballot to Geter-Pataky indicated that Geter-Pataky became concerned after learning about a Hearst Connecticut Media investigation into the election. The voter reported that Geter-Pataky advised her not to mention her name if she spoke to anyone about the matter.
Geter-Pataky’s attorney, John Gulash, chose not to comment on the case.
Another voter recounted that Heredia spoke to her after SEEC investigators visited her home. The affidavit quotes Heredia as saying, “Oh, some people came to your house,” and allegedly warned the resident that she got Heredia “in trouble” and to refrain from speaking to investigators if they returned.
Both Geter-Pataky and Heredia were supporters of Ganim in the 2019 primary. In contrast, Edmonds, who campaigned for Moore, allegedly witnessed several family members completing their absentee ballots before taking the completed ballots from them, in violation of state election law.
When a family member received a letter to testify about the primary, the affidavit states that Edmonds allegedly visited their home and instructed the individual “not to tell them she took their ballots.”
Edmonds has not publicly addressed the charges and could not be reached for comment.
All defendants charged in this case have been released on promises to appear at state Superior Court on June 24.
