Last week, five members of the Democrat Party in Connecticut were arrested on a variety of election charges, including Wanda "the ballot stuffer" Pataky, along with Bridgeport City Council members Alfredo Castillo, Maria Pereira, and Jazmarie Melendez, and campaign staffer Margaret Joyce.
In a statement Friday afternoon, Chief State’s Attorney Patrick J. Griffin said the charges were connected to "the misuse of absentee ballots" during Bridgeport Mayor Joseph Ganim's campaign for re-election in 2023.
In response to his arrest, according to Only in Bridgeport, Castillo said he was "pissed off and frustrated" that he had to "go through this" because he had been told Ganim would lose “if we don’t get out the vote.”
Castillo then specifically accused Governor Ned Lamont, Sen. Richard "Danang Dick" Blumenthal, Sen. Chris Murphy, and Congressman Jim Himes of directly benefitting off the illegal actions which resulted in increased turnout in Bridgeport.
Castillo further claimed he was innocent and just "following the orders of the Democratic Party."
"This is what they tell us to do, get out the vote. Then we get criminalized," Castillo said. “Our job is to get out the vote. We’re loyal. Always the foot soldiers get whacked and then everyone benefits – Ganim, Lamont, Blumenthal, Murphy, Himes. Then it’s thank you, we’ll see you in four years.”
Bridgeport election results did show a higher percentage of democrat votes than the state average for 2024, with around 75% of votes going to Murphy and Himes in Bridgeport, as compared to around 60% for those candidates at the state level.
Screenshots, CT SOTS - BRIDGEPORT ONLY 2024 Results
Screenshots, CT SOTS - FULL STATE 2024 Results
Castillo is also upset that his loyalty to the party is not being recognized, and he has to foot the bill for his own attorneys. He thinks the party should be paying for attorneys to represent the foot soldiers.
All five defendants were released on promises to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court on March 6, 2025, to face 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.
And despite his arrest, Castillo is still planning to run for re-election next year.
The Connecticut Centinal is the state’s premier investigative newspaper. Long suffering from an absence of patriotic media, Connecticut is in dire need of an organization which will confront, and highlight, corruption in the jurisdiction. Connecticut is an historic state with a long and honorable reputation of defending freedom. The Connecticut Centinal will follow in CDM’s tradition of providing trustworthy news as we rebuild the American republic from the cradle of liberty.
