Former judge accused of threatening to burn down polling station in New York
Paul Lamson is facing a charge of making a terroristic threat, police said
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A former judge-turned-convicted felon was arrested and charged after threatening to burn down a polling station in upstate New York on Election Day, authorities say.
Paul Lamson was charged with making a terroristic threat on Tuesday morning after a failed attempt to vote turned threatening.
The incident transpired just after 6.30am in Fowler, New York, where Lamson, a convicted felon, tried to vote but was unable to, since he hadn’t re-registered after he had been released from prison, according to police.
Lamson was given an affidavit ballot but wasn’t satisfied with that, officials with the St Lawrence County Board of Elections told WWNY.
An affidavit ballot isn’t counted until after an elections board ensures the voter is eligible to vote; if so, that vote will be counted.
“He became irate and started making threatening remarks such as burning the place down and returning with a firearm” before fleeing the scene, according to New York State Police. A search ensued and state police took Lamson into custody without incident.
He is now being held at the St Lawrence County Jail in lieu of $25,000 cash bail, state police said.
Records show Lamson was sentenced to two to six years behind bars in 2017 for bribery in the third degree.
He was allegedly accused of soliciting and accepting sexual favors from defendants in criminal cases he presided over, WWNY reported.
The Independent has emailed New York State Police and the St Lawrence County Board of Elections for more information.