Police make ballot tampering arrest in Dingmans Ferry
Wild Acres man charged with voter fraud in board election
By Beth Brelje
Pocono Record Writer
May 09, 2014



A Dingmans Ferry man is charged with tampering with ballots in a board election in a private Pike County community, according to state police in Blooming Grove.

charges of forgery, tampering with records and identity theft

Myron Cowher, 51, faces charges of forgery, tampering with records and identity theft for taking possession of 70 ballots that were designated by name and lot number and belonged to property owners of Wild Acres, police said.

Police said the investigation is continuing and more arrests are anticipated.

According to state police and court records:

Wild Acres Property Manager Robert Depaolis said that Cowher asked to speak with him outside of the Wild Acres administration office, so they walked out to Cowher's car in March or April.

Cowher asked Depaolis to put 200 ballots belonging to S.O.S. property owners in good standing, so Cowher could use the ballots to vote for the candidates he wanted to win in the June board election.

S.O.S. properties are too small to build on so the property owners often do not vote in elections, although they do receive a ballot, Depaolis explained to police.

On April 30, Cowher called Depaolis and asked if he had the S.O.S. ballots.
Depaolis said that he did.

Cowher said that he wanted to meet so he could take care of the ballots.
He also told Depaolis that Wild Acres board Chairman Dmitry Kuperschmidt was aware and in agreement with pulling the ballots and casting votes for their favored candidates, police records said.

On May 7, Depaolis told police that Cowher was supposed to go to the Wild Acres office on May 8 and get the ballots.

Police and District Attorney Ray Tonkin arranged for the conversation between Depaolis and Cowher to be recorded.

On the recording, Cowher is heard describing who he was voting for on the ballot and why; and gave instructions on what to do if a property owner contacted the office, because they had not received a ballot that he had instead filled out.

he planned to use different colored ink pens so the ballots did not all look the same.

He also said he planned to use different colored ink pens so the ballots did not all look the same.

He completed some ballots at that time and told Depaolis that he would complete the rest at home and when traveling.

When he was arrested, Cowher had a black duffel bag.

Police explained why he was being arrested and asked what was in the bag.
He admitted the ballots were in the bag. A search of the bag uncovered nine completed ballots and 62 that were not completed.

it is an important arrest in Pike County given all the community associations, and the power boards have

It is important to maintain the integrity of elections in private communities, Tonkin said. And it is an important arrest in Pike County given all the community associations, and the power boards have over the governance of these nonprofit associations, Tonkin added.

Cowher's bail was set at $40,000, which he was unable to post. He was committed to the Pike County Correctional Facility.

His preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 20.

Readers’ comments
• Gary L. Peters
You don't want to work for these scumbags either,unsafe working conditions,had us going into Building CONDEMENED by DELAWARE Township to tear out black molded sheetrock,vehicles with cracked windshields,rode around over a month with no turn signals,cut full timer back to part time over mishap,as punishment..OSHA & LABOR BOARD SHOULD investigate these weasels,starting with electrical hookups at shop,clubhouse,concessions,Etc....R.I.C.O. Statutes should be used against The whole Board........
 
• Donna Murdter
I along with a number of my friends were on the board and tormented by this man for years. Thank God it is over and he is finally getting what he deserved. Maybe our community can get a new start and finally be a place you might want to live.
 
• Gary L. Peters
@Donna Murdter They cut me loose today,I saw how those communist bastards ran things,They came TO ME to hire Me,Right to my front door,treated me like a pc. of ----.I hope they get everyone of them S.O.B.s with R.I.C.O. Statutes...

• Erin Sorochinski
This man has been a menace in this community for years. Thank you Ray Tonkin for finally taking him down.

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Second arrest made in ballot tampering case in Wild Acres
By Beth Brelje
Pocono Record Writer
24 May 2014

A second arrest has been made in Dingmans Ferry in the Wild Acres Community Association ballot tampering case.

charged with forgery, identity theft, criminal use of a communication facility and tampering with records or identification

Wild Acres board Chairman Dmitry Kuperschmidt has been charged with forgery, identity theft, criminal use of a communication facility and tampering with records or identification. Magisterial District Judge Paul Menditto set bail at $40,000.

Earlier this month, Wild Acres board of directors secretary Myron Cowher was arrested for tampering with ballots for the upcoming board election. He faces charges of forgery, tampering with records and identity theft for taking possession of 70 ballots that were designated by name and lot number and belonged to property owners of Wild Acres.

Kuperschmidt played a role in the scheme, too, according to police.

According to state police in Blooming Grove records:

Wild Acres Property Manager Robert Depaolis told police that Cowher asked to speak with him outside of the Wild Acres administration office, so they walked out to Cowher's car in March or April.

Cowher asked Depaolis to put 200 ballots belonging to S.O.S. property owners in good standing so Cowher could use the ballots to vote for the candidates he wanted to win in the June board election.

S.O.S. properties are too small to build on so the property owners often do not vote in elections, although they do receive a ballot.

Cowher later called Depaolis to make arrangements to meet so Cowher could take care of the S.O.S. ballots.

Cowher told Depaolis that Kuperschmidt was aware and in agreement with pulling the ballots and casting votes for their favored candidates, police records said.

In a phone call monitored and recorded by state police, Depaolis called Kuperschmidt to let him know Cowher was coming to the office to get the ballots.

Kuperschmidt told him there was nothing to worry about and that Kuperschmidt and Cowher had already agreed about handling the ballots. He also said nobody would have any proof and advised Depaolis to turn off the office security cameras.

Police monitored Depaolis's office when Cowher came in to get the ballots.

Kuperschmidt knew he was off the Wild Acres board if “she” won the election

During that visit, Cowher relayed that Kuperschmidt told Cowher to make sure the ballot tampering worked because Kuperschmidt knew he was off the Wild Acres board if "she" won the election, police documents say.

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