Jessica Martinez, 43, of Bridgeport, has pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to making a false declaration before a federal grand jury.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, Martinez was the treasurer for the campaign of Dennis A. Bradley, who was running for a Connecticut State Senate seat in 2018.
The Citizens’ Election Program is a voluntary public election-financing program under which candidates for Connecticut state offices can apply to the State Elections Enforcement Commission for grants to fund their primary and general election campaigns.
On March 15, 2018, the Bradley campaign held an event at Dolphin’s Cove restaurant in Bridgeport.
Although CEP rules imposed a $2,000 limit on a State Senate candidate’s expenditure of personal funds, Bradley used personal funds to pay Dolphin’s Cove $5,597.31 for the campaign event, used personal funds for additional campaign expenditures related to the event, and received campaign contributions from several contributors at the event.
In subsequent filings with SEEC, the campaign omitted the Dolphin’s Cove event and that Bradley had incurred more than $6,000 in expenses related to it, and misrepresented the dates of contributions the campaign had received on March 15, 2018.
In July 2018, SEEC issued the campaign $84,140 in public funds.
On September 23, 2020, Martinez appeared as a witness under oath before a federal grand jury in New Haven.
When asked about the Dolphin’s Cove event, Martinez falsely stated, “Dolphin’s Cove had zero to do with me and the campaign. Dolphin’s Cove was a BDK event, (Bradley’s) law firm’s event, thanking the community, in which I knew State Senator Bradley was going to announce his run for state senate.”
Martinez further stated, “There was no fundraising there. There was no fundraising there. But at any rate, I was not the treasurer yet. The campaign did not begin. That was a BDK event.”
The charge of making a false statement before the grand jury carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
Martinez was arrested on May 25, 2021. She is released on a $250,000 bond pending sentencing, which is not scheduled.
Bradley is awaiting trial in this matter.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
