Bridgeport judge orders Democratic operatives to accept plea deals or face trial
A judge in Bridgeport has given former Democratic official Wanda Geter-Pataky and councilman Alfredo Castillo until Aug. 25 to plead guilty to over 100 absentee-ballot charges or go to trial.
Bridgeport’s court has set an Aug. 25 deadline for former Democratic Party official Wanda Geter-Pataky and city councilman Alfredo Castillo to accept plea bargains covering over 100 felony charges tied to absentee-ballot handling in the 2019 and 2023 mayoral primaries. The investigation was sparked by security-camera footage that appeared to show Geter-Pataky repeatedly loading ballots into a drop box, prompting a judge to void the 2023 Democratic primary and order a new vote.
That rerun produced a decisive win for incumbent Mayor Joe Ganim, but the alleged misconduct remains under criminal prosecution. Both defendants have so far pleaded not guilty to the older charges and continue to contest the newer ones. Connecticut classifies many of the offenses as Class D felonies, carrying up to five years in prison, though sentencing can include probation or suspended terms. Declining the deals would bring Bridgeport’s Democratic machine before a jury, with a trial potentially scheduled for the fall.
Why it matters
The case highlights how alleged ballot tampering can reshape local elections and fuels the national debate over absentee-vote security.
In this story