Feds: Ex-Spring Valley mayor wanted to rig election

Former Spring Valley Mayor Noramie Jasmin did more than sell her political influence for kickbacks — she also tried to rig a village election, federal prosecutors said in court papers filed in her corruption case this week.

Prosecutors allege in a 20-page motion filed in U.S. District Court in White Plains that Jasmin met with developer Moses "Mark" Stern, who was cooperating with the FBI, and asked him if he could help eliminate dozens of absentee ballots in that year's village elections to ensure "favorable" candidates would win.

"On or about September 15, 2011, Jasmin and (Stern) discussed an upcoming election for Village Board of Trustees and Jasmin's fear that 60 absentee ballots would cause her preferred board candidates to lose the election," prosecutors wrote to U.S. District Judge Kenneth Karas. "Jasmin then asked (Stern) to use his influence with the Board of Elections to 'bury' the absentee ballots."

Jasmin was not charged with election fraud. Rather, the government's motion, filed Monday by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Bloom, simply lays out evidence prosecutors want to present at Jasmin's upcoming trial. It is the first peek into the government's case since Karas ordered lawyers in 2013 not to release details of the case.

The motion argues that the evidence should be allowed at the trial because it establishes "the nature of the relationship of trust between the two participants," a reference to Jasmin and Stern.

Jasmin's attorney, Benjamin Ostrer, said he would not discuss details of the government's motion, and said that his written response would be filed with the court by March 13.

"We'll address these allegations in our motion," Ostrer said Friday. "It's a new assertion which, once again, relies upon the credibility of Moses Stern."

Jasmin, 51, was charged April 1, 2013 with attempting to sell her political clout for payoffs, including a stake in a real estate development deal. Prosecutors said she told Stern she would push the village to seize private property through eminent domain, then rig the public bidding process so he would win the rights to build a community center there.

Stern offered Jasmin a 20 percent share in the development in return, but she demanded 50 percent and said she would use a relative to front a phony holding company that would oversee the project, prosecutors said. What Jasmin didn't know was that Stern was wearing a wire, and at least one other "investor" was an undercover FBI agent.

"How bad do we need it?" Stern asked Jasmin during their September 2011 conversation about eliminating ballots.

"What do you mean how bad do we need it? What did you mean how bad do we need it? We need it badly. I'm serious," Jasmin replied. "If there something more than life, that's what I need. We need more than life."

"So, there's 60 out there (unintelligible) may be more but sometimes they eliminate some because of the postmark thing," Jasmin continued. "So I'm hoping that's not the case. I'm hoping that that's the case. But I'm hoping, you know, we can get as many for my guy..."

Stern said he would try to quash the ballots in only one of two races.

"I can't ask two favors," he said. "So, that's only one. So, that could just be invalidate."

"That's it," Jasmin said. "If that is the case, that is where we have to go. Get on with it."

It is unclear what candidates' races Jasmin allegedly sought to influence.

Spring Valley Deputy Mayor Joseph Desmaret, whom prosecutors said was part of the scheme, was indicted with Jasmin. Desmaret pleaded guilty Jan. 29, 2014, and faces up to 9 years in prison for accepting $10,500 in bribes.

Staff writer Steve Lieberman contributed to this report.

Twitter: @jfitzgibbon