New issues arise for woman in voter fraud case

The New Mexico Attorney General’s Office has filed a motion to revoke an Española woman’s conditions of release from jail while a voter fraud case against her is pending, claiming she contacted a witness after being ordered not to discuss the case with anyone who may be called to testify.

The complaint also says Laura Seeds, the wife of Española City Councilor Robert Seeds, is being investigated on suspicion of new crimes tied to the city’s March elections.

Laura Seeds and her husband’s former campaign assistant, Dyon Herrera, were indicted earlier this year on multiple felony counts alleging they committed voter fraud during Española’s 2016 election, in which Robert Seeds was elected to his council seat by a two-vote margin.

Robert Seeds lost a bid to become mayor in this year’s election but retained his council seat.

His wife faces 13 counts in the voter fraud case, including 10 counts of unlawful possession of absentee ballots, falsifying election documents, conspiracy to violate the municipal election code and making false statements relative to the municipal election code.

According to the attorney general’s motion filed last week in the state District Court in Santa Fe, Laura Seeds recently received a letter informing her that she was being investigated for additional crimes — including intimidation in a municipal election, coercion of voters and disturbing a polling place — related to the city election early this month.

At Laura Seeds’ arraignment March 13 on the 2016 charges, the motion says, she was told to avoid “all contact with … anyone who may testify in this case.” She was permitted to have

some contact with Española City Clerk Anna Squires, who is a witness, but “only for business and do not discuss this matter,” according to the motion.

On March 21, the day Seeds’ attorney received notice that she was the target of the more recent investigation, the motion says, she called Squires and asked the clerk “what she told the Attorney General’s Office.”

“Defendant’s phone call to Anna Squires did not relate to any official business that Defendant might have with the Espanola city clerk’s office,” Assistant Attorney General Peter Valencia argues in the motion.

This contact, Valencia wrote, “was not innocuous, as such conduct is prohibited by courts to prevent interference with witnesses.”

According to a supplemental report attached to the motion, Squires was asked how she felt about Seeds’ call, and she said she was fine and that “Seeds, for the first time, sounded scared.”

Seeds called the motion “crazy” but declined to comment further, instead referring questions to her attorney, Yvonne Quintana.

Her husband also did not care to comment, Seeds said.

Quintana said Friday, “We do not believe there has been an intent to violate the court’s order concerning conditions of release. In an abundance of caution, we are going to ensure there is no communication in the future, even permitted communication, so there can’t be any misinterpretation.”

Senior Counsel Matt Baca of the Attorney General’s Office declined to discuss the case Friday, saying it would be improper to comment on pending litigation.

Squires did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment Friday.