Sergio Robaina Charged In Ballot Fraud Investigation

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Sergio Robaina, the uncle of former Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina, is now facing ballot fraud charges.

State prosecutors charged the 74-year old Robaina with two felony counts of tampering with ballots.

He's also charged with two counts of violating a new Miami-Dade County ordinance which prohibits individuals from keeping multiple absentee ballots during an election cycle, according to CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald. In the weeks before the August Primary, Robaina reportedly collected dozens of absentee ballots and gave them to Anamary Pedrosa, an aide at the time to county commissioner Esteban Bovo. Pedrosa has not been charged.

Robaina's attorney Thomas Cobitz said he plans to file a motion to dismiss the charges after the State Attorney's Office files its discovery. Cobitz plans to argue that the county ordinance is unconstitutional since neighboring counties can have different rules concerning absentee ballots even when legislative districts straddle multiple counties.

Robaina is expected to appear back in court later this month.

CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed to this report.