Posted on 03/23/2006 1:12:47 AM PST by ncountylee
HAMMOND | A Lake County policeman and a former East Chicago city councilman are among a dozen people facing state new vote fraud charges arising from the controversial 2003 East Chicago city primary.
Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter and Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter announced the latest installment in a three-year investigation of vote fraud that has resulted in 34 people charged and three convicted of violating state absentee ballot laws.
They said the indictments should send a message to those campaigning in the May 2 primary election to obey voting laws or face the loss of their liberty.
Lake County Sheriff's Detective Panciano "Ponce" Herrera, 40, of East Chicago, is named in eight felony counts of illegally manipulating absentee ballots and inducing voters to commit perjury.
Sheriff Rogelio "Roy" Dominguez suspended Herrera without pay Wednesday upon announcement of the charges. Herrera also is identified as an East Chicago precinct committeeman who has been active on behalf of Dominguez, who is running for re-election.
Randall "Blue" Artis, 49, of East Chicago, is facing seven felony counts of inducing an East Chicago woman to vote outside of her home precinct and commit other voting violations.
Artis represented East Chicago's heavily minority 3rd District from 1992 until last fall, when he resigned and pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges he illegally directed lucrative work on the city's notorious sidewalk improvement project to his brother, Terrance, despite Terrance's lack of experience or permits to pour concrete or trim trees.
(Excerpt) Read more at nwitimes.com ...
No party mentioned but in this area they have to be democrats.
I was born in Hammond, IN.
I was good friends with his son, although his son does not have his last name. I think his stepdad adopted him. 1/2 white, 1/2 mexican
If they were Pubbies you would see it in 40 point type.
I'm glad to see some prosecutions on vote fraud.
I would like to have an "In Violation of the Public Trust" multiplier to crimes such as this or police abusing their authority, public servants using tax money as their own, etc.
L
I see you were smart enough to get out of that sh-thole.
Of course, Gary makes Hammond look like Winnetka.
See #8. Hammond is nicer than East Chicago, which is nicer than Gary. Of course, that's not saying much. Its a shame that all three are so close to the Dunes.
They made Hammond and Munster look like paradise.
L
Every time we see a story like this it helps us enormously. Arresting voter fraud rats is a very chilling thing.
The rat himself can't do voter fraud. He needs foot soldiers to do it. These people are not professional rats. They CAN'T take a collar and shake it off. They run little stores and work at the factory in town. If they get locked up they can lose their whole life.
Every one of these "attacks" on voter fraud is very valuable in this war.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.