TRENTON, NJ — Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced today the filing of criminal charges against Ninoska Adames, a Paterson voter, for allegedly falsifying a mail-in ballot and attempting to mislead investigators. The charges are part of an ongoing investigation into alleged misconduct by Paterson City Council President Alex Mendez.
Adames, 33, faces charges of tampering with public records, fraud in casting a mail-in vote, and other offenses. She is accused of fraudulently completing a relative’s mail-in ballot certificate to make it appear as if the relative was a legitimate voter in Paterson’s 3rd Ward.
During the investigation led by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA), Adames allegedly provided false information about how her own and a family member’s mail-in ballots were mailed. The charges stem from an inquiry into alleged illegal actions by Alex Mendez, who was running for office in the same ward.
The investigation showed that Adames filled out ballot certificates for two relatives for the May 2020 municipal election. One certificate contained a false address, falsely indicating the relative was a legitimate voter in Paterson’s 3rd Ward.
Initially, Adames’ relative told law enforcement that she had handed the ballots directly to Mendez. She later recanted this statement. The investigation found that the ballots in question were grouped with nearly 400 other mail-in ballots allegedly deposited in bulk into a Haledon mailbox by Mendez and associates. State law prohibits a candidate from collecting and delivering ballots in the district where they are running.
Adames later claimed to OPIA detectives that she had personally mailed her ballot and a family member’s ballot, a statement found to be false during the investigation.
The charges against Adames add another layer to an ongoing probe into the actions of Paterson City Council President Alex Mendez, raising further questions about the integrity of the mail-in ballot process.