Friday, July 18, 2014

Vote fraud.


Investigation leads to 6 people arrested, charged

BY TY JOHNSON Staff Writer | Posted: Thursday, July 17, 2014 3:00 pm
Half a dozen women charged with various voter fraud crimes were processed into the Cameron County jail Wednesday.
Their arrests were the culmination of a multi-agency investigation into illicit voting activity surrounding the Democratic primary runoff held in July 2012.
Cameron County Elections Administrator Chris Davis said his office provided information to federal, state and local law enforcement agencies requested as part of the investigation.
Tomasa Ramirez Chavez, 84; Bernice Garcia, 29; Margarita Rangel Ozuna, 63; Sara Virginia Perales, 51; and Vicenta Guajardo Verino, 53, were all accused of multiple charges, while Facunda Banda Garcia, 54, was charged only with the unlawful assisting of a voter.
Inmate data at Carrizalez Rucker Detention Center indicated that among the charges are unlawfully assisting a voter, improperly returning a marked ballot and ballot carrier violations.
This is Ozuna’s second arrest on charges related to voter fraud. She pleaded no contest in 2013 to an election violation charge associated with a 2010 election.
While the charges are all misdemeanors, certain conditions — if present — can elevate them to state jail felonies.
For instance, if more than one misdemeanor is tied to the same voter or ballot or if 20 or more ballots are improperly carried, the crimes can be considered felonious.

No comments: