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Ex-Rensselaer County Elections Commissioner Admits to Identity Theft
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Grimy Times has learned that Jason Schofield, age 43, of Troy, New York, has pled guilty to unlawfully using the names and dates of birth of voters to fraudulently apply for absentee ballots for elections held in Rensselaer County in 2021.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Schofield was an Elections Commissioner at the Rensselaer County Board of Elections (“RCBOE”) until late last month, when he resigned in anticipation of today’s guilty plea.
In pleading guilty to a 12-count indictment, Schofield admitted that in 2021, he unlawfully possessed and used the names and dates of birth of voters in connection with 12 absentee ballot applications he electronically submitted in the voters’ names to the New York State Voter Absentee Ballot Application Request Portal. He also admitted that for each application, he falsely certified that he was the voter requesting the ballot.
Schofield admitted that he took personal possession of 9 of these ballots, while knowing and intending that RCBOE records would falsely reflect that the ballots had been mailed to the voters. Sentencing is scheduled for May 12, 2023, before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino.
As a result of his guilty plea, Schofield faces up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years. Schofield’s plea agreement required that he immediately resign from the RCBOE.
This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett. Schofield was charged with 12 counts of identity theft. The investigation revealed that Schofield’s actions compromised the integrity of the electoral process.
The Rensselaer County Board of Elections has since taken steps to ensure the security of its voting systems and processes. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding the electoral process.
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Public Corruption|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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