City council member in Connecticut faces additional charges in absentee ballot investigation

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) — A city councilor in Connecticut was arrested Friday on 10 additional counts in connection with an investigation into absentee ballot tampering in the state’s largest city, officials said.

Bridgeport City Council member Alfredo Castillo was among five Democratic politicians and operatives charged earlier this year with tampering with absentee ballots in the 2023 Democratic primary election. Claims of misuse of the ballots spurred a court-ordered rerun of a mayoral primary and general election and helped fuel skepticism about the security of U.S. elections.

The new counts against Castillo include multiple counts of possession of restricted ballots and envelopes, failure to sign as assister on an absentee ballot and misrepresenting eligibility requirements for voting by absentee ballot, Chief State’s Attorney Patrick Griffin’s office said.

Castillo didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment. His lawyer, Frank Riccio, said he’ll “study the evidence the State claims it has and determine if their case holds water.”

Police have said that in the run-up to the 2023 primary, surveillance videos showed people on several occasions stuffing what appeared to be multiple absentee ballots into city collection boxes.

Castillo and other defendants have also been accused of illegally helping voters fill out ballots and telling them who to vote for, according to arrest warrants.

Castillo was previously charged with similar absentee ballot crimes connected to the 2019 election.

Griffin’s office said Castillo was released Friday with a promise to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court on Sept. 2.