NEW CITY – A member of the Stony Point Republican County Committee has been arrested following an investigation into allegations of ballot fraud in the June 23 town GOP committee primary election.
Aiden Rowan, 25, of Stony Point turned himself in to the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday, November 4 to face 12 felony charges involving his candidacy in the primary.
On October 23, officials issued an arrest warrant after unsuccessful attempts to locate him.
Sheriff Louis Falco said the investigation was launched after his office received a complaint from both commissioners of the county Board of Elections alleging that a voter’s ballot may have been cast without their knowledge.
He said the investigation was conducted independently and without outside influence. “No one, of any political party or in any positions, influenced when this investigation began, how it was conducted, or its outcome.”
As a result of the investigation, Rowan was charged with forgery, four counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument, tampering with public records, four counts of offering a false instrument for filing, and two counts of making an apparently sworn false statement.
Rowan was arraigned and released on his own recognizance pending a future court appearance.
The sheriff said the accused may contest the charges and have his day in court.
“Faith in elections is built one honest ballot at a time,” Falco said. “The Rockland County Sheriff’s Office remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting the integrity of our election system and will work with the district attorney’s office as this case proceeds.”
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