By DAVID CRUZ
Hector Ramirez, the challenger in the 2014 race against Assemblyman Victor Pichardo, faces a 242-count indictment stemming from his challenge against Pichardo.
The Bronx District Attorney’s Office unsealed a 242-count indictment against Ramirez and Ana Cuevas, his campaign manager. The two were accused of attempting to rig the contest for the 86th Assembly District seat. The high count indictment stems largely from allegedly phony absentee ballots filed by the pair, according to the indictment. The district covers Fordham Heights, University Heights, Morris Heights, and West Bronx, a largely poor district.
Several red flags were raised during the election, including hand delivered absentee ballots by Ramirez operatives to Board of Election staffers, and absentee ballots where the races for the 86th Assembly District and a judicial seat were only filled out. Some of the ballots also originated from a senior housing building, according to a source.
Ramirez and Cuevas were charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree, falsifying business records in the first degree, offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree, tampering with public records in the first degree and illegal voting.
READ INDICTMENT
Indictment – Ramirez, Hector & Cuevas, Ana Redacted
“The actions that lead to Mr. Ramirez’s arrest are reflective of the dirty and illegal tactics routinely implemented by his campaign during the last two elections and demonstrate both his contempt for the law and his lack of respect for the voters of the 86th Assembly district,” said Assemblyman Pichardo. “While I am grateful that justice is being served, it is still disheartening to know that there are individuals who believe it is acceptable to deceive voters and circumvent our democratic process.”
This was Ramirez’ second attempt at claiming the 86th Assembly District seat, but Pichardo beat him by such a narrow margin it triggered an investigation by the Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson.
Ramirez is represented by attorney Angel Cruz while Cuevas is represented by Larry Sheehan, who’s office line was disconnected.
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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.
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The investigation was not triggered by small margin of votes between Pichardo and Ramirez. It began at the request of fmr. party chair Carl Heastie who as we know, has a history of owing favors from Bx DA Johnson. The federal prosecutor should investigate ALL parties in the race. Remember, the Bx DA answers to the party machine, not justice!
Mr. Ramirez has run three times in the 86th AD. He lost to Nelson Castro (who committed perjury in another election law matter) in September 2008. Lost to Victor Pichardo in 2012 and again in 2014.
Pichardo’s campaign filed a criminal complaint against Ramirez and his campaign team. In 2008, Heastie as an insurgent supported Ramirez’s criminal complaint against Nelson Castro (which proved true) and led to Castro becoming an undercover government informant (instead of going to jail). Unlike Castro, Mr. Ramirez has nothing to trade (if the allegations are true).
As they said on ‘X Files,’ “The Truth Is Out There.”