The voter fraud scandal in Frio County, Texas, expanded this week as nine more individuals, including prominent local and state Democratic officials, were arrested in connection with an illegal vote harvesting scheme.
The new arrests brings the total number of indictments to 15, following a multi-year investigation that began in 2022.
Among those newly indicted is Manuel Medina, the Chair of the Texas State Tejano Democrats, who was allegedly recorded discussing a plan to collect votes on behalf of a local candidate, Cecilia Castellano. Also charged were former Dilley Mayor Mary Ann Obregon and former Pearsall Mayor Petra Davina Trevino. Respectively, they face two and one counts of vote harvesting.
The scandal erupted in early May when Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) announced the arrest of six individuals, including current and former public officials.
Central among them was Frio County Judge Rochelle Lozano Camacho, who later turned herself in after initially being delayed due to medical issues. Camacho’s campaign centered on a message of “UNITY, MOVEMENT and PROGRESSION FOR FRIO COUNTY,” but it now faces serious allegations of election misconduct.
Camacho’s sister, a county trustee, was also implicated.
The charges stem from a complaint filed by Mary Moore, Camacho’s opponent in the 2022 Democratic primary runoff. Moore alleged that Camacho paid operatives $1,500 to $2,500 to gather mail ballots, fill out applications, and transport voters, particularly targeting elderly residents in Pearsall.
One accomplice reportedly hid ballots under her shirt and used multiple vehicles to evade law enforcement surveillance, according to Newsweek.
Attorney General Paxton emphasized accountability, noting in a statement that “elected officials who think they can cheat to stay in power will be held accountable. No one is above the law.” “My office will continue to work with Frio County District Attorney Audrey Louis to protect the integrity of our elections,” he concluded.
The investigation is ongoing.
