Co-defendent in Española election fraud case takes deal

Former campaign manager agrees to testify against wife of City Councilor Seeds

Española City Councilor Robert Seeds’ former campaign manager, Dyon Herrera, resolved election fraud charges against him by taking a plea deal Thursday that calls for him to testify against the councilor’s wife, who also is charged with interfering in the 2016 election in which Seeds was elected.

Herrera, 24, had faced four felony counts — two counts of falsifying election documents, conspiracy to violate the municipal election code and making false statements relative to the municipal election — in relation to allegations that he tampered with absentee ballots in the election that Seeds won by just two votes.

Under the terms of his deal with prosecutors, Herrera pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the municipal election code, a fourth-degree felony that carries a maximum penalty of 18 months in jail.

Herrera was not sentenced Thursday, and his plea contains no agreement as to what his sentence will be.

The other charges will be dismissed as long as Herrera meets his end of the agreement, testifying truthfully against Councilor Seeds’ wife, Laura Seeds, who is scheduled to go to trial next week, Assistant Attorney General Peter Valencia III said Thursday.

Herrera declined to comment following his plea hearing.

Robert Seeds was elected to the Española City Council over incumbent Cory Lewis by a vote of 238-236. Seeds received 94 votes by absentee ballot, while Lewis received 10 votes by absentee ballot.

Herrera and Laura Seeds were criminally charged after Española City Clerk Anna Squires wrote a letter to the Secretary of State’s Office while the election was still pending, expressing concerns about irregularities with signatures on absentee ballots they had delivered to her office.

Laura Seeds is charged with 15 felonies, including 10 counts of unlawful possession of absentee ballots, falsifying election documents, conspiracy to violate the municipal election code, making false statements relative to the municipal election code, committing intimidation in a municipal election and coercion of a voter. She also faces a petty misdemeanor charge of disturbing a polling place.

Reached by phone Thursday, Laura Seeds said her husband did not wish to comment and referred questions to her attorney, who did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

Councilor Seeds did not respond to an email sent to his city email address seeking comment.