Two individuals who admitted involvement in a voting fraud conspiracy were handed harsher jail terms by a court than what the government had asked for.
Former Millbourne Borough Council vice president Md Nurul Hasan was reprimanded by Judge Harvey Bartle III, who told him, “In the court’s view, there are very few crimes in our federal code which are more serious than what you have committed,” as reported by Votebeat. “What you have done is undermine our democratic process.”
While campaigning for mayor in 2021, Hasan pled guilty to charges related to an electoral fraud conspiracy. Unfortunately, his plan to undermine the will of the people was unsuccessful, and he still lost the contest.
“The defendants’ efforts to steal the election for defendant MD NURUL HASAN were ultimately unsuccessful, as defendant HASAN still lost the general election by a vote of approximately 165 to 138,” according to the indictment.
One count of conspiracy, sixteen counts of providing false information while registering to vote, and sixteen counts of fraudulent voter registration were among the thirty-three charges against Hasan, who pled guilty in April, according to a news statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania. He was fined $3,300 and ordered to serve 36 months in jail plus a year on supervised release.
The government had asked for a sentence of 18–24 months, therefore that’s too long in prison.
The Delaware County Daily Times reports that Hasan resigned from his position on the council earlier this year following his plea.
Reports indicate that former council member MD Rafikul Islam “pleaded guilty in April to all seven charges against him — one count of conspiracy, three counts of giving false information in registering to vote, and three counts of fraudulent voter registration.” As a result, Islam has been “sentenced to twelve months and one day in prison, one year of supervised release, $1,000 fine, and a $700 special assessment,” as stated in the press release.
The government had requested a sentence of zero to six months in jail, so that’s an increase.
As per the Federal Judicial Center, the federal judge serving at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania was appointed in 1991 by President George H.W. Bush.
Additionally, Md Munsur Ali, whose name appears on the Millbourne Borough council’s website, has entered a guilty plea.
The news announcement states that next week is when he is supposed to be sentenced.
In April, Ali, a council member for Millbourne Borough, pled guilty to all twenty-five counts against him, including one for conspiracy and twelve for fraudulent voter registration and providing false information during the registration process. His sentencing is set on June 26, as mentioned in the announcement.