COATES: Plea deal reduces charges in voter fraud

www.twincities.com ^ | Posted on Tue, Dec. 17, 2002 | BY AMY SHERMAN

[luv2ndamend]

Most of the 95 defendants charged in the strip club voter fraud scheme are being offered a deal in which they pay $240 in exchange for pleading guilty to a misdemeanor.

On Monday, five of more than 20 defendants who appeared in court took the plea agreement offered by Dakota County prosecutors. Prosecutors plan to seek stiffer penalties for a few individuals who were allegedly ringleaders, including strip club owner Richard Jacobson.

"The vast majority of the 94 people who we have charged have relatively low culpability in this case," Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom said. "That's why we are allowing them to plead in essence to a misdemeanor disposition and a fine."

Although 94 defendants were charged with two felonies in October — forgery and conspiracy to commit forgery — those who plead guilty will have a single misdemeanor on their record. Failure to pay the fine could result in a 30-day jail sentence.

Jacobson was charged separately with conspiracy to procure unlawful voting and conspiracy to commit forgery.

In a case that drew national attention to rural Coates, population 163, Dakota County charged the individuals after they allegedly signed voter registration forms claiming to live at Jake's, a strip club that has been shut down after years of legal battles between the city and Jacobson.

Prosecutors say Jacobson orchestrated the scheme in an effort to amass enough voters to oust the anti-Jake's city council. That plan failed when the incumbents won in November.

The defendants who pleaded guilty Monday were Tim Lane Deden, 38; Billy Jay Albrecht, 26; Chad E. Blue, 27; Daniel James Murphy, 41; and Joanna Jean Ubl, 23.

In interviews, some said they didn't think the deal was fair but wanted to end their case.

Billy Albrecht said it's unfair that "I have to pay money for something I wasn't involved in." He added, "I've never been to Jake's. I don't even know where Coates is."

Jacobson's attorney, Joe Friedberg, said his client will argue that his actions were based on advice from his attorney at the time, Randall Tigue. On Monday, Tigue declined to say what advice he gave Jacobson.

Tigue said he pointed Jacobson to a letter by a Dakota County prosecutor explaining why they didn't charge some Minneapolis police officers who registered to vote using their office address rather than their home. Tigue said he may be called as a witness in Jacobson's case.

In past interviews, some defendants said they thought they were signing a petition to keep Jake's open when they were approached at bars and other places to sign what they later realized were voter registration cards.

Those who didn't take the plea agreement Monday will make their next court appearances in February.

[APBaer]

"strip club voter fraud scheme"

I think the scheme became known, when the registrars saw voters trying to cram dollar bills into the voting boxes.

[luv2ndamend]

LMAO!

[nicmarlo]

Thanks for the ping; another one for archiving and FReepers Against Voter Fraud threads

[Digger]

Let see, then about $150,000 bought the Dems a senate seat. Seems fair, huh? We have more things to do in the Pubbie house, like drug prescriptions, pourous borders, looking for OBL, trashing Lott, increasing spending & taking vows never to say anything bad against a racists. We need that 2% of the votes fron Latinos & blacks. Of couse 5%+ of the pubbies have changed their party affiliation. And let's not forget as GW as told us sheeple, Islam is a religion of peace.

[TheLion]

Here again, we slap their hands and say don't do it again. Some time in the slammer might go a long way toward stopping vote fraud!

[sweetliberty]

I agree. Upon conviction these people need to get the max. That is the only thing that will deter others.