Marc H. Silverman, the Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, has announced that Jessica Martinez, aged 43, from Bridgeport, has entered a guilty plea for making a false declaration before a federal grand jury. The plea was made before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven.
Court documents and statements indicate that Martinez, who served as the Treasurer for Dennis A. Bradley's 2018 Connecticut State Senate campaign, misrepresented details regarding campaign expenditures and contributions. The Citizens' Election Program (CEP) outlines that candidates can apply for state election funding grants under specific rules. However, on March 15, 2018, Bradley's campaign allegedly breached CEP rules by exceeding the personal expenditure limit at an event at Dolphin’s Cove restaurant in Bridgeport. This event resulted in more than $6,000 in expenses, not properly disclosed to the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC), which later granted Bradley’s campaign $84,140 in public funds.
Martinez, under oath, testified before a federal grand jury on September 23, 2020. During this testimony, she falsely assured, “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.” She also claimed, “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 offense of making a false statement before a grand jury can lead to a maximum imprisonment of five years. Martinez, who was taken into custody on May 25, 2021, is currently free on a $250,000 bond as her sentencing date remains unscheduled. Meanwhile, Bradley is still awaiting trial in connection with this case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman emphasized that an indictment does not constitute evidence of guilt and that all charges are merely allegations until proven otherwise beyond a reasonable doubt. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is in charge of the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan N. Francis and David E. Novick conducting the prosecution.