3 Texas Democrat Campaign Workers Caught for Buying Votes with Dime Bags of Cocaine
by Betty Butter • 24 September, 2014 • Politics • 0 Comments
This takes vote buying to a whole new level. The story has a happy ending, however, as the school board president hung himself the day after the trio was arrested.
From The Brownsville Herald:
Posted: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 10:29 pm
BY JACOB FISCHLER STAFF WRITER
McALLEN — A Donna man will appear in federal court here next month on conspiracy and voter fraud charges for trading cocaine for votes in the 2012 school board elections, according to an indictment unsealed on Friday.
Francisco “Frankie” Garcia, 47, of Donna, paid voters either a “dime bag” of cocaine or $10 per vote, authorities said.
“On or about November 6, 2012, Person B brought three voters to the polls to vote for candidates in the Donna School Board election,” the indictment reads. “Garcia paid the voters for voting by dropping $30 into the car in which they were seated, through an open car window, after they voted.”
FBI agents arrested Garcia on Thursday in southern Illinois, and he made his first court appearance in federal court there Friday, where a judge issued him a $10,000 unsecured bond.
Monday in McAllen, U.S. Magistrate Judge Dorina Ramos set another arraignment hearing for Oct. 8.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James Leo, who is prosecuting the case, said Garcia worked for the same school board candidates as Donna women arrested earlier this year.
Guadalupe Escamilla, of Weslaco, and Donna residents Rebecca Gonzalez and Diana Castañeda pleaded guilty earlier this year to vote buying in the 2012 Donna school board election. The women told investigators they bought votes with cash, beer and cigarettes.
Former school board President Alfredo Lugo hanged himself on New Year’s Day — just days after the trio’s arrests.
Lugo, Michael Flores, Ernesto Lugo and Nick Castillo ran as a slate for the school board in 2012 and all won. None could be reached for comment Monday evening.
Leo declined to name the candidates suspected of employing the workers.
FBI agents arrested two other Donna women — Veronica Saldivar and Belinda Solis — in August on suspicion the women had traded cocaine and cash for votes in the 2012 Democratic primary for Hidalgo County Precinct 1 commissioner and the 2012 Donna school board race in the general election.
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