A worker for the unsuccessful primary mayoral campaign of Atlantic City Councilman Marty Small pleaded guilty Tuesday to engaging in fraud involving messenger absentee ballots during the June Democratic primary.Ronald Harris, 23, of Atlantic City, pleaded guilty to a charge of third-degree conspiracy to commit absentee ballot fraud before state Superior Court Judge Robert Neustadter in Mays Landing, according to state Criminal Justice Director Deborah L. Gramiccioni.
Under the plea agreement, the state will recommend that Harris be sentenced to a term of probation, conditioned upon him serving up to 364 days in the Atlantic County Jail. He may face a fine of up to $15,000.
Harris was charged in a 10-count state grand jury indictment returned on Sept. 3, which also charged Small and 12 other campaign workers and operatives. The indictment resulted from an investigation led by the Division of Criminal Justice Corruption Bureau and the State Police Official Corruption Bureau.
In pleading guilty, Harris admitted that he conspired with others involved in Small’s mayoral campaign to submit false documents related to the procurement, casting, or tabulation of messenger absentee ballots in the primary.
The charges are pending against the remaining defendants. Small and the other defendants are each charged in the indictment with conspiracy, four counts of election fraud, absentee ballot fraud, tampering with public records, falsifying records, and forgery. Four defendants are also charged with hindering apprehension or prosecution.
And New Jersey has an upcoming gubernatorial election.
Doesn’t this just inspire confidence that everything will be fair and legal?