By: Richard L. Smith
Paterson City Council President Alex Mendez and several co-defendants are facing new criminal charges related to an alleged ballot fraud scheme connected to the city’s May 2020 municipal election, according to a statement released by Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA).
The updated 10-count indictment alleges that Mendez—already indicted in 2021—conspired with his wife, Yohanny Mendez, and campaign workers Omar Ledesma and Iris Rigo to forge ballots and tamper with voter registrations to tilt the election in his favor.
Another Paterson resident, Ninoska Adames, is also newly charged in connection with the case.
Investigators say the scheme involved stealing ballots and submitting fraudulent mail-in votes while voting was exclusively conducted by mail due to COVID-19.
Hundreds of mail-in ballots were discovered in a mailbox in Haledon, prompting the OPIA investigation.
“This case isn’t just about one city council seat—it’s about protecting the integrity of our elections,” Attorney General Platkin said. “The grand jury has charged the defendants with fraud, theft, and voter deception.”
New charges in the superseding indictment include Theft and Receiving Stolen Property, alleging the defendants illegally obtained and used other residents’ ballots. They also face counts of Election Fraud, Forgery, Witness Tampering, and Falsifying Public Records.
Adames is charged with providing false information to investigators and falsifying a voter certificate on a mail-in ballot to obstruct the ongoing investigation.
The charges are accusations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Second-degree offenses could carry penalties of five to ten years in state prison and fines up to $150,000.
This case remains under investigation by OPIA.