A federal judge denied a motion for a new trial in the vote-by-mail fraud case of Hoboken developer Frank “Pupie” Raia, who is now scheduled to be sentenced in about three-and-a-half weeks.
By Corey McDonald/Hudson County View
Raia, who was convicted in June of conspiracy to violate the federal Travel Act for using the mail for voter bribery, hoped to have the verdict overturned, arguing in an August court filing that the government had mischaracterized evidence during the prosecution.
He specifically asserted that the testimony of the three cooperating witnesses – Matt Calicchio, Michael Holmes, and Freddie Frazier – could not be trusted since they were trying to “avoid prosecution or severe sentences.â€
However, U.S. District Judge William J. Martini finally denied the motion for a new trial earlier today.
As a result, Raia faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he goes back to U.S. District Court on November 14th.
Dio Braxton, who was indicted the same day as Raia on Halloween of last year and eventually pleaded guilty in May, is currently scheduled to be sentenced that day as well, according to court filings in the case.
Raia was initially expected to be sentenced on October 3rd, but that was postponed as the court awaited Martini’s decision on this motion.
Legal counsel for Raia did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
First indicated on Halloween of last year, the 67-year-old spent two weeks in Newark federal court during his jury trial this summer, where some of his closest political operatives – as well as several voters – testified that he operated a citywide voter fraud scheme where residents were paid to vote in his favor via vote-by-mail ballots.
Back in 2013, Raia ran for an at-large council seat on the One Hoboken slate and was also pushing for a referendum that would have weakened the city’s rent control laws.
Both his team and the referendum lost by a wide margin.
Chief News Correspondent John Heinis contributed to this report.
Follow Corey McDonald on Twitter @cwmcdonald_
ravi dreamed of VBM help from Pupi… The kind Zimmer got!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUqkH_2AgmE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUqkH_2AgmE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUqkH_2AgmE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUqkH_2AgmE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUqkH_2AgmE
Councilman DeFusco in the last mayoral race had Frank “Pupi” Raia working inside his campaign and took close to 10K.
BTW The guy Frank Raia used to disperse the cash was part of Team DeFusco’s campaign.
As a 35-year resident of Hoboken, I’m still amazed that people have actually been nailed for VBM fraud. It seemed like the political goons in town were untouchable because the fraud was so rampant and blatant, everyone knew about it but nothing ever happened. And for Raia, of all people, to go down is still a shock. I don’t have confidence that this will change the pattern of VBM fraud moving forward, but one can hope.
VBM fraud is dead this November. No one will fund it. More is coming. The Hoboken Horse broke this into the open back in 2010 and kept hammering it. Think it was 2013 when another story came out with the payoffs on Jefferson the night after the November election. That’s the one where these guys got nailed. How does Russo keep walking if he not’s talking?
Ok, found it. Yeah it’s the 2013 election and that’s the one Pupie will go to Hoboken West (Lewisburg, PA) for.
http://www.hobokenhorse.com/2013/11/520-jefferson-st-playoffs-for-votes.html
More of the usual horse manure.
Looks like a Ravibot is very, very jealous of the Horse. He was right.
Cave dwelling Bhalla Blogger – Will Ravi Pay Nancy this time too?
that’s the one where msv made the comment about uneducated black voters using a screen name. it was before we realized what a racist he is.
Fat chance Nancy. Try not to defame any more people before your trial. Idiot.
before the judge files a bench warrant. Maybe you can mooch off of Alex? Tell him to put it on the tab!
Nancy, you are in no position to be threatening anyone. You’re an idiot defendant before trial and a disgrace. Go take care of your trial, moron.
His $1400 unpaid loan to a former friend…
and that BIG FAT CHECK he owes… TALK OF THE TOWN
I’m not Nancy you buck tooth smelly horse fool DEBTOR!
Oh please. Cut the drama, make believe reporter dude. This is Hudson County, VBM fraud will never be dead.
The only pretense here is the foolishness in your comment. Hudson County is a machine but the money dried up in Hoboken.
so naive. come back in a couple of years and tell me the money behind Hoboken VBM fraud is still “dried up”, LOL.
Hopefully taking Frank Raia and his crew out of Hoboken politics will result in a cleaner election this November
Theyre running with Fisher and Giatino one big happy Vision media fam.
Hispanic haters ?
who said anything about hispanics? how is that a “haters” comment? do you even know what you’re saying?
Hate Hispanics ?
The Rhode Island sad sack is on his last leg with Ravibots
Really? I thought Vijay, Stan, John Allen and Jason Freeman were supporting the Russo Bhalla slate?
Yes – they are doing a fine job of driving the slate, and the city, into the ground. Voting the slate in only accelerates the decline.
The proof is in the payouts
Bhalla’s chief puppet masters has to pay out almost 2 mil to Carmelo Garcia and Angel Alicea
Fool us once …. fool us twice … no mad!
Rain man now supports the bogus Garcia and Alicea lawsuits. If you can find a more desperate moron, you win a prize.
owes money all over the place. But hes got a lucrative LIME juicing career @ $4 a pop. He might pay off his legal bills in a thousand years.
What does that have to do with…well…anything at all?
I’m not defending him, I just don’t understand why there is a constant attempt to change the subject to MSV. MSV is not relevant to this story.
i don’t see you saying anything about msv dragging bloggers, non-politicians and anyone else he doesn’t like into every article. stuff it, windbag.
Why would I bring up MSV? This is an article about Raia and his request. What does that have to do with MSV?
Um, open yr eyes. The reason everyone (except you) mocks MSV is laid out in the comment at the beginning here from “VBM payments system down”, look it up. he jumps into the conversation to claim his expertise and take credit, what a blowhard..
Feel silly now?
No. I don’t care about MSV.