Election Fraud Cases

Charlie Burns Jr., campaign worker for Gregg County Commissioner Shannon Brown, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of knowingly possessing an absentee ballot with intent to defraud for his involvement in a ballot harvesting scheme. During the 2018 Democratic primary Longview City council election, Shannon Brown participated in a scheme to harvest absentee ballots with help from his wife Marlena Jackson, Burns, and DeWayne Ward, another paid campaign worker, to increase the vote total for Brown. Burns working with Brown, Jackson, and another campaign worker, solicited over a hundred mail-in ballots by assisting with absentee ballot applications, providing incorrect information to voters about the requirements for voting by mail, and in some cases filing out the ballots and falsely claiming that such voters were disabled, often without their knowledge or consent. Burns was sentenced to one year in jail, which was suspended to a year's probation, and fined $445.

Source: https://herit.ag/3gSxiyS , https://herit.ag/3oSxz9F, https://herit.ag/3rUront, https://herit.ag/3GNZihK

DeWayne Ward, campaign worker for Gregg County Commissioner Shannon Brown, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of knowingly possessing an absentee ballot with intent to defraud for his involvement in a ballot harvesting scheme during the 2018 Longview City Council Democratic primary election. During that election, Shannon Brown organized a scheme to harvest absentee ballots with help from his wife, Marlena Jackson, Ward, and Charlie Burns Jr. another paid campaign worker, to increase the vote tally in Brown's favor. Ward, working with Brown, Jackson, and another campaign worker, solicited over a hundred mail-in ballots by assisting with absentee ballot applications, misleading voters about the requirements for voting by mail, and in some cases filling out the applications and falsely claiming that such voters were disabled, often without their knowledge or consent. Ward was sentenced to one year in jail, which was suspended to a year's probation, and fined $445.

Source: https://herit.ag/3HXp7gz, https://herit.ag/3LBeQZV , https://herit.ag/3sMrGf3, https://herit.ag/3uSSbSK

Monica Mendez was charged with 26 felonies after her involvement in an absentee ballot trafficking scheme to alter the results of the May 2018 Bloomington water board election. Mendez served as a volunteer deputy registrar and was responsible for registering new voters in her official role. During this election, 275 people in Bloomington registered to vote all using the same post office box as a mailing address. However, the address was associated with a subsidized housing company who was attempting the sway the outcome of the election. According to the press release by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton "Mendez ran a vote-harvesting operation on behalf of a subsidized housing corporation in order to influence the outcome of a utility board election." Mendez Mendez pleaded guilty to 26 felony counts including three counts of illegal voting, eight counts of election fraud, seven counts of unlawful assistance to a voter to submit a ballot by mail, and eight counts of unlawful possession of a mail ballot. She was sentenced to five years of deferred adjudication probation, 80 hours of community service, and fined $1,415.

Source: https://herit.ag/3OMoYQ8 , https://herit.ag/3bxUROc, https://herit.ag/3OHfLsv

Marlena Jackson, wife of Gregg County Commissioner Shannon Brown, pleaded guilty to charges of misdemeanor election fraud. During the 2018 Democratic primary Longview City council election, Jackson's husband Shannon Brown organized a scheme to harvest absentee ballots with help from two paid campaign workers and Jackson to increase the ballots in Brown's favor. Jackson working with Brown and his crew, solicited over a hundred mail-in ballots by assisting with absentee ballot applications, misleading voters about the requirements for voting by mail, and in some cases filling out the applications and falsely claiming that such voters were disabled, often without their knowledge or consent. Marlena was originally charged with close to 100 different felony charges including providing false information on a voting application, election fraud, and tampering with a government record with the intent to defraud or harm. Jackson was sentenced to a year's probation and a $2,445 fine.

Source: https://herit.ag/33qzzOJ, https://herit.ag/3oSoH3O , https://herit.ag/3rRxrc7, https://herit.ag/3GVHG3E

Shannon Brown, Commissioner of Gregg County, Texas pleaded guilty to charges of misdemeanor election fraud and record tampering. During the 2018 Democratic primary Longview City Council election, Brown organized a scheme to harvest absentee ballots with help from two paid campaign workers and his wife to increase the votes in his favor. Brown, along with his crew, solicited over a hundred mail-in ballots by assisting with absentee ballot applications, misleading voters about the requirements for voting by mail, and in some cases filling out the applications and falsely claiming that such voters were disabled, often without their knowledge or consent. Brown was originally charged with over 20 felony charges related to providing false information on voting applications. As part of his plea deal, Brown was sentenced to one year in jail which was suspended to a year's probation and fined $2,445. Brown was allowed to stay in office.

Source: https://herit.ag/3uVtk0S, https://herit.ag/3JBDN5J, https://herit.ag/3Bo6xf6 , https://herit.ag/3gMJvFv

Charles Nathan Jackson, of Tarrant County, forged the name of a stranger, Mardene Hickerson, on an application for an early voting ballot. Jackson pleaded guilty to providing false information on a voting application, a felony, as part of a plea deal to avoid an enhancement for previous drug and theft offenses. He was sentenced to 10 days in jail, and was given credit for time already served.

Source: https://herit.ag/3f1kAxn

Cynthia Gonzalez, of Nueces County, marked and mailed ballots that were not her own in the 2016 Nueces County Democratic Primary. Gonzalez pleaded guilty to three charges of election code violations and was sentenced to serve five days in the San Patricio County Jail.

Source: https://herit.ag/3rCeZ5C, https://herit.ag/3y4jpVk, https://herit.ag/3zKbEUP

Miguel Hernandez visited an elderly woman shortly before the 2017 Dallas City Council election, collected her blank absentee ballot, filled it out, and forged her signature before mailing it back. Hernandez was the first person arrested as part of a larger voter fraud investigation in the Dallas area, stemming from claims by elderly voters that someone was forging their signatures and the return of nearly 700 mail-in ballots all signed by the same witness using a fake name. Hernandez faced a felony illegal voting charge, but pleaded to a lesser misdemeanor offense of "method of returning marked ballot." He was sentenced to 180 days in jail and given credit for time served.

Source: https://herit.ag/370axUW, https://herit.ag/3f1ZChS

Tyron Davis, a former constable in Ellis County, Texas, was convicted of six counts of voter fraud for assisting nursing home residents with their mail-in ballots and voter registration applications without identifying his assistance on the ballot. He was also convicted of false identification as a peace officer for having pasted an image of his face onto the body of a peace officer for use on a flier advertising his assistance at the nursing home during his campaign, all before he became an officer. Davis resigned his officer's license to avoid jail time.

Source: https://herit.ag/2Wi1iNC, https://herit.ag/3yb4msS

Prosecutors charged Graciela Sanchez with four misdemeanor counts of violating election law in an effort to assist Guadalupe Rivera win re-election to the post of Weslaco city commissioner in 2013. Rivera and Sanchez were found to have illegally "assisted" absentee ballot voters. The results of the election were disputed, and a judge determined that 30 ballots had been illegally cast in an election decided by only 16 votes. Sanchez pleaded guilty and received two years' probation.

Source: bit.ly/2f8AtkT, bit.ly/2f8AtkT

Guadalupe Rivera, a former Weslaco city commissioner, pleaded guilty to one count of providing illegal "assistance" to a voter by filling out an absentee ballot "in a way other than the way the voter directed or without direction from the voter." The fraud took place during Rivera's 2013 re-election bid, which he won by a scant 16 votes. His challenger sued alleging fraud, and a judge determined that 30 ballots had been illegally cast, enough to alter the outcome of the election. A new election was subsequently held, and Rivera lost. Rivera originally faced 16 election-related charges, 15 of which were dropped as part of his plea deal. He was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay a $500 fine.

Source: https://herit.ag/3BNfiPJ

Rafael Angel Elizondo, of Cameron County, along with Jose Garza, engaged in illegal vote harvesting during the 2012 Democratic Primary run-off. Elizondo improperly posessed between 10 and 20 ballots without the consent of the voters. Elizondo faced a third degree felony method of returning marked ballot charge. He pleaded no contest to the charge and was sentenced to serve three days in county jail.

Source: https://herit.ag/378DMVm, https://herit.ag/3f4FtYr

Following an investigation by the Texas Attorney General's office, Margarita Rangel Ozuna was charged with engaging in election fraud, along with five others during the 2012 Democratic Primary runoff election in Cameron County. Ozuna pleaded guilty to charges of fraudulent use of absentee ballots and was sentenced to serve 15 days in Cameron County jail and required to pay a $250 fine. This was the second time that Ozuna was convicted of voter fraud. In 2013, she was convicted of felony voter fraud stemming from the 2010 election.

Source: bit.ly/2E3q99l, bit.ly/2pL2B4H

Jose Angel Garcia, of Cameron County, along with Rafael Angel Elizondo, engaged in illegal vote harvesting during the 2012 Democratic Primary runoff. Garza improperly possessed as many as 10 ballots without the consent of the voters. Garza faced five felony counts of method of returning marked ballot. He pleaded guilty to one of those charges and was sentenced to serve two days in county jail.

Source: https://herit.ag/3kX7GUW, https://herit.ag/3x9CsfN

Following an investigation by the Texas Attorney General's office, Sara Virginia Perales was charged with engaging in election fraud, along with five others during the 2012 Democratic Primary runoff election in Cameron County. After admitting that she falsified absentee ballots, Perales entered into a deferred adjudication agreement. She was required to complete 12 months' probation and pay a $150 fine, in addition to being barred from engaging in voting activities.

Source: bit.ly/2pRIEbx, bit.ly/2pL2B4H

Gilda Hernandez pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful assistance, two counts of illegal possession of a ballot, and two counts of failure to provide identifying information while assisting a voter. Hernandez was sentenced to one year of deferred adjudication and a $250 fine.

Source: bit.ly/2rCDVKl

Norma Lopez, of Live Oak County, Texas, pleaded guilty to absentee ballot fraud after she unlawfully collected other voters' absentee ballots during the 2008 primary election. She was sentenced to a 180-day suspended jail sentence, one year of probation, and was ordered to complete 40 hours of community service and pay a $200 fine.

Source: https://herit.ag/3i5A7Or

Raul Pena Jr., Starr County Commissioner, pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges that he illegally returned a marked ballot and that he mailed a ballot belonging to another vote. The charges stem from an incident in which Pena delivered 56 ballots to a local post office. Postal officials found it suspicious that Pena possessed so many ballots, yet none were signed by Pena as the law requires of those who assist voters. He was sentenced to six months of community supervision, received a 180 day suspended jail sentence, and was ordered to pay a $500 fine.

Source: https://herit.ag/2WrcPdH, https://herit.ag/3i73ksr, https://herit.ag/3iS6Vty

Alicia Pena Perez, a former Freer municipal judge, pleaded guilty to four counts of unlawful assistance and four counts of possession of a ballot. During the 2008 primary election, Perez took possession of ballots that did not belong to her and illegally prepared them. She received one year of probation and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine plus court costs.

Source: https://herit.ag/3i7Jpd2

Andrea Campos Bierstedt, a former member of the Freer City Council, was given pre-trial diversion after she was charged with illegally possessing a ballot belonging to another voter and "assisting" in filling it out. She was also ordered to pay a $3,500 donation to the county.

Source: https://herit.ag/2VfJt14, https://herit.ag/3l1NaCH

Zaida Cantu Bueno, a politiquera in South Texas, pleaded guilty to absentee ballot fraud. Bueno was involved in vote-harvesting schemes in which she would illegally "assist" voters in filling out absentee ballots. Bueno received a 180-day suspended jail sentence and one year of probation, and was ordered to complete 40 hours of community service and pay a $200 fine.

Source: https://herit.ag/370azw2, https://herit.ag/3BNfq1F, https://herit.ag/3f2SDVU

Christina Lichtenberger pleaded guilty to illegally possessing an absentee ballot belonging to another voter and illegally "assisting" in filling it out. Lichtenberger received one year of deferred adjudication, and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and court costs.

Source: bit.ly/2tvHEeM, bit.ly/2tNPoeD, bit.ly/2uPKISp

Cynthia Lopez, of Live Oak County, pleaded guilty to one count of absentee ballot fraud after she unlawfully possessed other voters' absentee ballots in the 2008 primary election. She was sentenced to a 180-day suspended sentence, one year of probation, and was ordered to complete 40 hours of community service and pay a $200 fine.

Source: https://herit.ag/2USO7Cx, https://herit.ag/374MLHm

Oralia Frausto was sentenced for his role in a scheme that involved registering fake voters to vacant lots during the 2006 Democratic Primary. The goal was to submit a large number of mail-in ballots. He received a pre-trial diversion.

Source: https://herit.ag/2VheYb3, https://herit.ag/3l2zRBK

Maria Gonzalez was sentenced for her role in a scheme that involved registering fake voters to vacant lots during the 2006 Democratic Primary. The goal was to submit a large number of mail-in ballots. She received pre-trial diversion.

Source: https://herit.ag/3xaVZMN, https://herit.ag/3zENrzo

Guadalupe Rios pleaded guilty to eleven counts of illegally possessing a ballot without the voter's consent. She was sentenced to 60 days' house arrest, four years of probation, and was ordered to pay a $500 fine.

Source: https://herit.ag/3iSGRyD

Mark Littlefield, of Hays County, was charged with one count of illegal possession of a forged instrument stemming from forgery and document tampering conducted during a 2006 special election. He was admitted to a one-year pretrial diversion program, and was ordered to make a $300 donation.

Source: Case No. 89, 298 (Information obtained from the Office of the Attorney General of Texas)

Elva Gutierrez Lazo, a former Duval County precinct secretary, pleaded guilty to one count of illegally possessing another's ballot during the 2006 primary election. Lazo and others helped voters to register to receive absentee ballots by falsely claiming they were disabled. She later returned to collect and mail the absentee votes. Lazo received one year of deferred adjudication and one year of community supervision, and was ordered to pay a $300 fine.

Source: https://herit.ag/2Wi1pc0, https://herit.ag/3ycCLrp

Lydia Molina, then-Treasurer for Duval County, pleaded guilty to one count of illegally possessing another's ballot during the 2006 primary election. Molina and others helped voters to register to receive absentee ballots by falsely claiming they were disabled. She later returned to collect and mail the absentee votes. Molina received one year of deferred adjudication and one year of community supervision, and was ordered to pay a $300 fine.

Source: https://herit.ag/370awjQ, https://herit.ag/3rDeQPh

Oscar Rios pleaded guilty to 12 counts of illegally possessing a ballot without a voter's consent. Rios was involved in a scheme to register phony voters at vacant lots in an effort to receive and submit a large number of mail-in ballots for the 2006 Democratic Primary. He was sentenced to two years of deferred adjudication, two years of community supervision, and was ordered to pay a $300 fine.

Source: https://herit.ag/3y3Bxi9, https://herit.ag/3zFrFeJ

Maria Soriano, then-head of the Duval Welfare Department, pleaded guilty to one count of illegally possessing another's ballot during the 2006 primary election. Soriano and others helped voters register to receive absentee ballots by falsely claiming they were disabled. She later returned to collect and mail the absentee votes. Soriano received one year of deferred adjudication and one year of community supervision, and was ordered to pay a $300 fine.

Source: https://herit.ag/2VdbWVA, https://herit.ag/378DL3K

Maria Adelina Trigo, a former Duval County welfare clerk, pleaded guilty to one count of illegally possessing a ballot that was not her own during the 2006 primary election. Trigo and others helped voters to register to receive absentee ballots by falsely claiming they were disabled. Trigo later returned to collect and mail the absentee vote. She received one year of deferred adjudication and one year of community supervision, and was ordered to pay a $300 fine.

Source: https://herit.ag/2UTvAGe

Raymond Villarreal, the then-County Commissioner of Refugio, pleaded guilty to charges related to a scheme to rig the absentee vote in his favor during his 2006 primary race for commissioner. Villarreal first had registered voters request absentee ballots, but then routed the ballots to known supporters who would vote for Villarreal. He then had the original applicants sign the ballots. He was sentenced to 90 days in the county jail and given five years of probation. He was also ordered to complete 300 hours of community service and pay $2,500 in fines. Villarreal was forced to resign.

Source: https://herit.ag/3zH53L3

Virginia Ramos Garza, of Nueces County, was charged with four counts of "possessing an official ballot or carrier envelope of another." In a 2005 school district election, she targeted the elderly by going door-to-door to obtain votes, and then took the ballots to the post office for mailing. She was admitted into a one-year pretrial diversion program, which included 12 months of community supervision. Garza conspired to engage in vote harvesting with Elida Garza Flores, Isabel Rios Gonzalez, and Josefina Marinas Suarez, all of whom were charged and ultimately admitted into diversion programs or received deferred adjudications.

Source: Case No. 05-CR-9806-4 (Information obtained from the Office of the Attorney General of Texas), bit.ly/2GT3PVA

Anita Baeza was given six months of pre-trial diversion after she was charged with five counts of illegally possessing another's ballot during the 2004 primary.

Source: https://herit.ag/3zENpHM

Elida Garza Flores, of Nueces County, was charged with one count of "possessing of an official ballot or carrier envelope of another." In a 2005 school district election, she targeted the elderly by going door-to-door to obtain votes, and then took the ballots to the post office for mailing. She was admitted into a one-year pretrial diversion program, which included 12 months of community supervision. She conspired to engage in vote harvesting with Virginia Ramos Garza, Isabel Rios Gonzalez, and Josefina Marinas Suarez, all of whom were charged and ultimately admitted into diversion programs or received deferred adjudications.

Source: Case No. 05-CR-9805-4 (Information obtained from the Office of the Attorney General of Texas), bit.ly/2GT3PVA

Willie Ray, a Texarkana Ward 2 City Councilwoman, and Jamillah Johnson pleaded guilty to fraudulent use of absentee ballots during the 2004 general election. The two women illegally assisted elderly and other voters in submitting applications for mail-in ballots, then collected and mailed in the completed ballots for the voters. This assistance is a Class B misdemeanor under Texas law. The judge fined Willie Ray $200 and sentenced her to eight months of probation. Jamillah Johnson received a $200 fine and six months of probation.

Source: bit.ly/2fcgEMG, bit.ly/2f26dIi

Isabel Rios Gonzalez, of Nueces County, entered a plea of nolo contendere to two counts of "possessing of an official ballot or carrier envelope of another." In a 2005 school district election, she targeted the elderly by going door-to-door to obtain votes, and then took the ballots to the post office for mailing. She was sentenced to one year of deferred adjudication, 12 months of community supervision, and was ordered to pay a $500 fine. She conspired to engage in vote harvesting with Virginia Ramos Garza, Elida Garza Flores, and Josefina Marinas Suarez, all of whom were charged and ultimately admitted into diversion programs or received deferred adjudications.

Source: Case No. 05-CR-9808-3 (Information obtained from the Office of the Attorney General of Texas), bit.ly/2GT3PVA

Melinda Hunter was indicted on seven counts of illegally possessing and transporting ballots not belonging to her. Hunter illegally assisted elderly voters in preparing their ballots. She was placed in a six-month pre-trial diversion program.

Source: https://herit.ag/3l1INHv

Josefina Marinas Suarez pleaded guilty to a charge of handling an official ballot belonging to another. During the 2005 Robstown school district election Suarez targeted elderly voters, soliciting votes and returning the absentee ballots herself. Under Texas law, she was not permitted to handle or transport absentee ballots. Suarez was sentenced to one year of deferred adjudication probation and a $500 fine.

Source: https://herit.ag/3rKEfXC

Trinidad Villalobos was convicted by a jury of illegally possessing and transporting ballots belonging to multiple voters during the 2004 primary. According to witnesses, Villalobos offered to assist elderly voters fill out applications for absentee ballots and would later collect and mail those ballots. Unauthorized possession of ballots is a misdemeanor under Texas law. Villalobos received six months of probation for each charge.

Source: https://herit.ag/3x9300o

Johnny Wayne Akers, of Hardeman County, was charged with six counts of "possession of an official ballot or carrier envelope of another" for engaging in vote harvesting activities during a 2004 primary election in Texas. He pleaded guilty to possession of an official ballot, and was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to pay a $2,000 fine.

Source: Case No. 013449 (Information obtained from the Office of the Attorney General of Texas)

Melva Kay Ponce was convicted for mailing in an absentee ballot for her deceased mother in the November 2004 general election. She pleaded guilty to one charge of illegal voter registration and was sentenced to two years of deferred adjudication and ordered to pay a $1,500 fine.

Source: https://herit.ag/2WlQZrP, https://herit.ag/3x92VK8